As part of the research, says TfL, a simulator was used to replicate a real-life driving situation for the first time. It showed that driver response was 0.7 seconds slower when checking blind spots and monitors compared with looking directly through windows – a delay that could mean a lorry travelling an extra 1.5 metres.
Direct Vision proposals including rating HGVs from zero to five stars, with zero-rated vehicles banned from London’s streets by 2020.
TfL and the Greater London Authority will include the new Direct Vision Standard in new contracts from April – a move, says TfL that will “further stimulate the market for safer lorries”.
Sadiq Khan says: “Our ground-breaking Direct Vision Standard will be the first of its kind in the world, and TfL will lead by example by not using any zero-star lorries in its future supply chain.”
Julian Bell, chair of London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee, adds: “It is taking far too long for lorry manufacturers to realise that their outdated juggernaut-style vehicles are not suitable for our city street environments. More needs to be done to improve lorry safety standards at a national and international level, but in the meantime, I welcome this intervention from TfL to set a safer standard for London.”
The Road Haulage Association is critical of the tone and content of this consultation, which closes on 18 April and which will be followed by a second consultation in the summer.
RHA director of policy Jack Semple says: “This is completely the wrong message, completely unjustified and completely unsupported by evidence. We are very concerned to learn this is the first of a series of consultations about HGVs.
“This is the same Transport for London that has seen congestion soar by 30% in two years (2014-15) despite reducing traffic levels – and that’s even before the latest log-jams in central London.”
Semple also slammed the mayor’s claims to understand business: “He is showing no signs of that as far as HGVs are concerned. HGVs are good for London and we need them to replace many of the vans that are taking over London’s streets.
“We look for evidence from TfL and we get none. We will be doing a full analysis of the consultation and responding in due course.”