Banning lorries in cities during peak hours is not the way forward if the government wants to improve road safety for vulnerable users, like cyclists, said the Freight Transport Association following comments from the prime minister.
According to reports, prime minister David Cameron told the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cycling that he would ask transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin to investigate the possibilities of several measures to improve cyclist safety, including possible HGV bans.
Responding to this, the FTA’s head of urban logistics, Christopher Snelling, said: “Even a medium-sized lorry would have to be replaced with ten vans – which means overall safety would not be improved, let alone the emissions and congestion consequences. It has to be remembered that we don’t choose to deliver at peak times on a whim – our customers need goods at the start of the working day.”
Snelling listed several measures that he believes may be more effective in improving road safety on busy city roads, including increased targeted enforcement against HGVs and drivers that do not comply with safety regulations; improved road infrastructure; government incentives to improve availability and commercial viability of lorries with better; and easing of night-time and peak restrictions.
“All road users have a role to play in improving road safety,” said Snelling. Better awareness, training and behaviour is needed on all sides to make our roads as safe as they can be. Things can improve. The number of HGVs involved in fatalities in the UK has halved in the last 12 years, which shows the success of the progressive approach to improving safety.”
