Latest HGV standards for London

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has introduced a Direct Vision Standard for lorries which rates them on how well the driver can see other road users. Vehicles are graded from zero – for those with poor visibility from the driver’s cab – to five for those with excellent all-round vision.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has introduced a Direct Vision Standard for lorries which rates them on how well the driver can see other road users. Vehicles are graded from zero – for those with poor visibility from the driver’s cab – to five for those with excellent all-round vision.  

Under the Mayor’s proposals, zero star HGVs will be banned from London’s streets entirely by January 2020 and only HGVs meeting 3 stars or above would be allowed on London’s roads by 2024. A consultation process on the standard and the timetable will begin in January 2017.

The BVRLA is pleased that the Mayor is not pressing ahead with the proposals for vision panels as the association did not believe these would deliver the projected road safety benefits. However, the Direct Vision Standard still requires modifications for HGVs that are used in London and the BVRLA does not believe individual cities should introduce vehicle design-specific road safety measures. This is a matter for national government to introduce through the type approval regime and construction and use regulations.

Elsewhere, a new standard for the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) has been published. FORS Standard Version 4.0 is billed as the 'greenest ever' standard, with particulate matter, noise and alternative drives all coming under the spotlight. Not only is the guide claimed to be easier to understand, but it also contains more specific guidance on how FORS applies to trucks and vans.

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