Three months on from the launch of TfL’s world-first Direct Vision Standard lorries across London are becoming safer.
- More than 136,000 safety permits have been issued to date and nearly 70,000 heavy goods vehicles have been fitted with safety measures to protect people walking and cycling
- This is the first step in dramatically improving lorry safety in London, with standards set to tighten further in 2024
Transport for London (TfL), working with the London boroughs, the freight industry and campaign groups, delivered a radical improvement to road safety in the UK in March with the introduction of the pioneering Direct Vision Standard (DVS). Three months on data shows that the vital lorry safety scheme, which reduces lethal blind spots, is already helping to save lives and prevent life-changing injuries.
TfL's Direct Vision Standard scheme requires owners of Heavy Good Vehicles (HGVs) weighing more than 12 tonnes to apply for a free permit that assigns vehicles a star rating based on how much the driver can see directly through their cab windows in order to be able to drive in London. It is now operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is enforced on all roads in London. The standards are set to tighten further in 2024, which will deliver even safer lorries across the country.
Derek Rees, Programme Director for CLOCS, said: “In the last five years, over 28,000 fatal and personal injury collisions occurred between Vulnerable Road Users and vehicles commonly used in construction on Britain’s roads. The Direct Vision Standard makes a massive contribution as it ensures direct eye contact between the driver and the pedestrians, cyclists and more – critical to prevent collisions and build community confidence in active travel.
“CLOCS (Construction Logistics and Community Safety) drives collaboration between regulators, construction clients, principal contractors and fleet operators to raise standards through planning and procurement; its “Clear Dash, Safe Cab” campaign further supports the DVS.”
