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Lorries and cycles

21st March 1996, Page 20
21st March 1996
Page 20
Page 20, 21st March 1996 — Lorries and cycles
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Freight Transport Association shares the British Road Federation's concern about Government cuts to local road safety schemes. But it is important to correct the impression that heavy lorries bear a particularly high responsibility for accidents involving cyclists (CM 22-28 Feb).

In 1994 there were 552 twovehicle accidents involving pedal cycles and "heavy goods vehicles". This statistic conceals two factors. First, it relates to vehicle involvement in accidents, not responsibility Second, in the Department of Transport's accident statistics a "heavy goads vehicle" is any goods vehicle exceeding 3.5 tonnes GVW—anything bigger than, say, a Ford Transit Cyclists are particularly vulnerable road users, and the FTA takes every opportunity to emphasise that lorry drivers must take care not to endanger them—particularly at junctions and roundabouts. The DOT's definition of an HGV must be exposed in response to the calls it sometimes makes for all heavy lorries to be banned from our towns and cities.

What—everything bigger than a Ford Transit?

Don McIntyre, Controller--highways and traffic, Freight Transport Association.

Safer coupling'

The Freight Transport Association's North Western Traffic Area, goods vehicle maintenance advisory committee, along with other TA advisory committees, has been involved in protracted discussion as to the pros and cons of self-sealing tractor/ trailer air couplings.

Members of the committee have fleet engineering responsibility for large national fleets and have carried out their own trials using the gauges that are proposed for incorporation into the Department of Transport's annual HGV test. The results are alarming.

Numerous C-type couplings have subsequently been examined and there would appear to be widespread dimensional inaccuracies in both male and female fittings. Combine this with the potential variation in the eventual position of the operating adaptor and with the wear or distortion of the self-sealer operating probe and the consequences are unpredictable. We may have excessive, sufficient, insufficient or no lift. Can this be a correct state of affairs with our current hi-tech vehicles?

What of the standard to which couplings are produced? If the couplings are manufactured to the standard then the tolerances are too wide; if not, what is the use of the standard? It may well be that palm couplings are a better proposition and are less prone to inaccurate assembly than the C coupling.

Whatever the case, there would not appear to be a greater risk of trailers' brake faults and failures through the fitting of self-sealing couplings than there were through drivers failing to turn on their taps.

Mike Selby, Honorary secretary; F7'A North Western Traffic Area,

Goods vehicle maintenance advisory committee, Leeds. Li See feature in CM next week.


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