LGV Driver Training and Road Upgrades

The City of London and the Mayor’s office have started a new round of consultation looking at road improvements designed to help pedestrians and cyclists move more safely through the capital. The consultation comes on the heels of already approved road projects now being implemented in London, including construction of the East-West Cycle Superhighway. Haulage and transport industry organisations such as the FTA are already planning to make their voices heard during the consultation period.

Like the FTA and others, we support the desire to figure out ways to keep commercial traffic and cyclists separated on busy London streets. But we also agreed with the FTA’s position that any further consultation needs to include industry representatives in order to make any approved changes fair to all. We agree that more LGV driver training is appropriate and that road upgrades can go a long way toward improving safety, but any changes that do not take into account the needs of our industry and the customers we serve will only generate future problems requiring more expensive solutions.

Long-Term Solutions Needed

The East-West Cycle Superhighway, which is now under construction, is just the first in what some assume will be many similar projects around London. According to the FTA, construction of the Superhighway has already created problems on Lower Thames Street. Traffic congestion is slowing down deliveries and causing delays which, in turn, is forcing logistics companies to use smaller vans that only increases congestion. Companies are also having to hire more drivers in order to maintain their delivery schedules without running afoul of driver hours’ regulations.

The FTA maintains that some of the problems caused by the current construction will not go away once the project is complete. We agree. Keeping cyclists separated from commercial vehicles using the Superhighway will certainly increase safety, but it will also increase traffic for the same reasons listed above. We agree with the FTA that long-term solutions that consider cyclists, pedestrians, and the haulage and transport industries simultaneously are necessary. Focusing only on cyclists and pedestrians is a short-sighted approach that will create more problems than it solves.

Driver Safety Is Our Priority

We will continue to join with the FTA and others to make our voices heard as the City of London and its Mayor seek to make the roads safer for everyone. In the meantime, we will also continue to do our part to produce safe drivers through our PCV and LGV driver training. Driver safety is our priority.

We offer PCV and LGV driver training at more than four dozen facilities located throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We also go beyond commercial driver training to include training for non-professionals looking to tow caravans, utility trailers and horsebox trailers. We even offer a forklift truck training and certification as well.

The HGV Training Centre is the largest provider of commercial driver training in the UK. We would be honoured to train you to get your licence.

Sources:

Commercial Fleet – https://www.commercialfleet.org/news/latest-news/2016/02/10/london-cycle-proposals-must-consider-all-road-users-says-fta