Transport Secretary to Work on HGV Problem in Somerset

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has agreed to start working on a solution to a problem involving HGV traffic in Somerset. His decision is a direct result of heavy lobbying from Somerton and Frome Conservative Parliamentary candidate David Warburton, who has been working on McLoughlin for more than a year. Warburton maintains that HGV traffic rolling through Somerset’s small communities disrupts the peace and quiet and causes damage to the roads.

To be clear, Warburton and McLoughlin are not aiming their initial efforts at haulage companies and drivers. Rather, they intend to address satnav companies who make the equipment and software that drivers use to navigate unfamiliar roads. McLaughlin intends to meet with the heads of these companies to inquire about changes.

The main challenge with satnav equipment is the fact that the maps are created using satellite imagery and local map information that does not necessarily account for the general areas certain roads pass through. Simply put, a satnav map designer would have no idea that certain roads are not appropriate for HGVs unless specifically informed about it.

Some of the information regarding inappropriate routes could be found if map creators were more diligent in their research. And that may be what McLoughlin will be bringing up as he meets with company heads. Nevertheless, local municipalities and haulage companies can contribute to the solution by providing necessary information to the satnav companies they purchase hardware and software from. Everyone working together should be able to adequately address the problem.

As it stands, HGV drivers unfamiliar with local roads in Somerset can either consult paper maps or use satnav equipment. Nonetheless, neither option really gives them enough information about the communities they will be driving through. Hopefully, a driver who realises he or she is disrupting a quiet community en route to his or her destination will find a different route when in the area again.

Training and Common Sense

There is no denying that satnav equipment is very helpful to HGV drivers navigating unfamiliar roads. However, it is not a substitute for training and common sense. This is easily seen every time we hear a news story involving an HGV driver who gets him or herself into a precarious position after blindly following satnav instructions. At some point, the driver needs to ignore the electronic device and pay attention to what’s going on around them.

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Sources:

Blackmore Vale Magazine – http://www.blackmorevale.co.uk/Parliamentary-candidate-lobbies-Transport/story-25427249-detail/story.html