Islington Drivers to Undergo Additional HGV Training

Lorry drivers intending to work in the Islington borough of London will have to undergo a new type of HGV training course. This training course prepares them to operate safely on busy streets and includes spending time riding a bicycle in London. The plan was created to hopefully reduce the number of accidents between London cyclists and HGVs operating in the city.

Proponents of the plan are quick to point out that there have been a number of tragic accidents involving HGVs and cyclists since the summer – accidents that led to several deaths that probably could have been avoided. The new rules are meant to prevent additional incidents.

Islington Council’s Andy Hull said the council views cycle safety in Islington as a matter of life and death and something they take very seriously. Drivers found in violation of the new rules will be subject to stiff penalties as afforded by the law.

Under the new rules, drivers operating vehicles in excess of 3.5 tonnes in Islington will be required to complete the Safe Urban Driving course. According to the Islington Gazette, the course can be completed in seven hours on a single day. The Gazette did not say what the cost of the course would be.

The newness of the Islington rules are such that the industry has not yet had time to respond. We do not expect them to be favourable to the new rules, for obvious reasons. It’s also unclear whether companies offering HGV training courses in and around London will be allowed to include that training so students do not have to take a separate course.

Safe Practices Encouraged

The HGV Training Centre always encourages drivers to use safe driving practices, especially when operating in the busy London environment. Anything we can do to make drivers safer is a good idea. That said, we also know that more needs to be done to educate cyclists and to enforce cycling laws in London. Keeping cyclists safe needs to be a joint effort.

The HGV Training Centre offers comprehensive training in London as well as throughout the rest of the UK. We operate more than 45 facilities staffed with expert trainers who can prepare you to be a commercial driver operating articulated lorries, tipper trucks, coaches, buses, heavy construction equipment and a variety of other vehicles.

We can provide all of the assistance you need, including preparation for your theory test and your practical skills training. We offer CPC training as well, for both individual drivers and companies with a fleet of drivers and vehicles.

We want to remind all company owners that CPC certification for HGV drivers must be completed by September 10, 2014. Coach operators should be aware that the deadline for their drivers was this past September. If you have drivers not yet in compliance with CPC regulations, you need to take care of that right away. You can do so by signing up for CPC training with the HGV Training Centre.