FTA slams Boris's proposal
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THE FREIGHT Transport Association (FTA) has criticised London mayor Boris Johnson's proposal for a safer lorry charge across the capital.
The charge, proposed last week (4 September), would see LGVs fined up to £200 a day if they entered the capital without having the correct cycle-friendly safety equipment fitted.
FTA director of policy Karen Dee said: "The FTA views the mayor's decision as unprecedented and authoritarian, and considers it to be one that will create a mess of confused standards, leaving LGV operators not knowing what they are trying to achieve." She added that major invest ment has already been made by responsible operators who have gone "over and above" the legal safety requirements, and called for
cyclists to face tougher standards on road safety.
"Unless you also improve the behaviour of cyclists, the problem will not improve in the way that everyone wants," said Dee.
Details of the mandatory safety equipment required and how the scheme would be administered will be discussed during a consultation starting in January 2014.
Transport for London and the Department for Transport have also announced that an LGV Task Force, consisting of eight police and eight Vosa officers, will be set up to focus on construction-vehicle compliance in London. It is also set to re-examine the exemption on side-guards for such vehicles. While broadly welcoming the development as good for fair
competition, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) said it was concerned with the overall tone of the announcements.
"It would be unfortunate if the impression was left that the industry was being scape-goated — seen as easy targets because other necessary safety actions are too difficult or too sensitive," said policy director Jack Semple.
"Cycle safety is affected by LGVs and their drivers, certainly; but it is also affected by the driving standards and culture in London as a whole, and we need to see more emphasis on that. In 2012, more than twice as many cyclists were killed by cars as by LGVs."