Re-inventing truck safety Could the London Cycling Campaign's design for a safer lorry be practical?
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CM investigates Words: Dave Young The London Cycling Campaign (LCC) recently gained a lot of publicity with its design for a low-cab safer truck. A worrying 50% of fatal cycling accidents in London involve lorries, with drivers often claiming they didn't see the cyclist in the moments before the collision.
Currently only existing as a CAD mock-up, the LCC's safer urban lorry is based on existing technology and embodies features found on many refuse trucks.
In the UK, only Dennis Eagle and the Mercedes-Benz Econic range (below) meet the crucial low cab for better visibility criteria. Dennis has already built four-axle chassis for Australia, while Mercedes says the safer urban lorry concept is fea 'ble. "We've built a vehicle like this," says a Mercedes spo sman. "Although the Econic is a specialist refuse collection vehicle, we've supplied a few to tipper operators." The latter is a key point: construction and waste collection industry vehicles feature disproportionately in accident statistics and are a particular focus for the LCC. However, Volvo Trucks — with substantial sales in these sectors — claims the design would be impractical for vehicles working on construction sites, and that safety improvements to existing designs offer the best way to improve driver visibility.
The Dennis and Mercedes low-mounted cabs are intended to minimise the risk of running over refuse collectors and protecting anyone walking or cycling nearby. With a large amount of glazing, and a driving position at roughly the same height as a cyclist, visibility is enhanced in busy urban areas.
Safety should be the priority Charlie Lloyd, LCC campaigns officer, says: "Worryingly, construction lorry design prioritises off-road convenience and site-cost saving over cycling safety. High [ground] clearance means [that] in the event of a collision, cyclists are often dragged under the wheels instead of being pushed clear. New lorries don't need such a high-ground clearance because site roads are becoming better graded for all vehicles. There's clear evidence that current construction lorries pose an unacceptable risk in urban areas."
If that statement seems controversial, it's worth pointing out that Lloyd is a former professional driver with experience on vehicles ranging from artics to four-axle tippers.
Lloyd also claims "hundreds of lorries in London are exempt from C&U regulations, classified as off-road': However, as vehicles in CM's tipper tests demonstrate, site capability is frequently no longer a key priority: many purchasers now prefer what's effectively a tipper-bodied haulage chassis in pursuit of higher payload. Site access has improved considerably, and a lot of muckaway material is now crushed or re-used on site. The landfill tax ensures rubbish increasingly goes to transfer stations with hardstanding for recyling. Yet, despite changing operational patterns, most two-axle skip trucks stick to the conventional wisdom of high-mounted cabs — perhaps purchased out of habit?
Whatever the advantages, the specialist features of low-cab Mercedes and Dennis trucks — air suspension, offset chassis — come at significant additional cost. One operator, speaking off the record for fear of being perceived as anti-safety, felt that in such a competitive market sector operators are unlikely to buy unless regulations change to require their use.
This is a point Lloyd readily concedes, pointing out that the way to bring prices down is economies of scale. If low-cab operations were made compulsory in London, and perhaps subsequently in other cities, the playing field would be levelled, even if a higher purchase price coupled with uncertain residual values might mean rates had to rise.
Larger utility companies may be able to absorb increased costs, but family firms could struggle. This, says Lloyd, is a problem long "endemic to the road transport industry': An encouragement to drive slower He views such compromises as part of a continual series of trade-offs. Lloyd doesn't dispute low-roof cabs have a longer — "15cm to 20cm, it's a limitation" — front-axle overhang, possibly compromising manoeuvrability, but sets this against "the safety of human beings". He adds that in busy traffic conditions a driver in a lower cab would have "a less 'lording it' mindset, encouraged to drive slower and leave a longer braking distance".
Lloyd suggests one way of making the safer urban lorry a reality might be through talking to individual boroughs, for example, to designate routes. He also claims to be talking with operators, but declines to give names. "It might work initially as a pilot project," he says. "It's definitely not just an academic exercise."
However, Lloyd seems unaware of the increasing prevalence of automated shifts (or the distinction from automatic) and their contribution to safer urban driving. CM has offered to take him out in such a vehicle.
This, in turn, raises an important issue, as cab design is only one factor in enhancing safety. David Brown, bulk transport co-ordinator for London-based tipper and skip operator GBN Services, who also drives an artic bulker, says: "The focus is constantly on the driver, but cyclists also have responsibilities. A lot of them need to show respect for other road users; they must be more aware of lorries." Some GBN vehicles have both front, nearside and rear cameras. "They're mandatory for any wagon working on the Crossrail construction contract," explains Brown.
GBN holds a bronze star for a Fors-funded, voluntary certification scheme, which is part of Transport for London (TfL), aimed at ensuring that fleet operators work lawfully and to best practice. TfL has developed a range of courses for both LGV and PCV drivers who meet the requirements for seven hours of the Driver CPC. Brown is unconvinced that lower cabs would be popular with drivers, whereas Lloyd reckons they "are there to be won over".
Freight Transport Association (FTA) spokesperson Christopher Snelling acknowledges there's work to be done. He says: "Cycle safety is a big priority in the haulage industry. The FTA is exploring the LCC's suggestions with its members."
London mayor Boris Johnson recently announced a £913m scheme to transform London's cycling network, including an extensive network of segregated cycle lanes. In 'The Mayor's Vision for Cycling in London' report, he set out plans to ensure that "no lorry should be allowed in London unless it is fitted with safety equipment to protect cyclists".
Johnson (a cycling commuter himself) has also spoken of "an urgent need to address the spate of serious incidents [...] involving construction vehicles and cyclists over recent years". • LCC SAFER URBAN LORRY SPECIFICATION • Lower driving position, roof-to-floor glass cab doors and a deeper windscreen to improve visibility, seating position that is 0.6m lower than in a standard cab, and side-mounted cameras to enable drivers to see other road users in blind spots.
• High-visibility— windscreen and side windows are a much larger area to the front-left of lorry, where the majority of lorry-cyclist collisions occur.
• Lower bumper — this increases the chance of a cyclist being pushed to the side in the event of a collision, rather than dragged underneath the wheels.
• Sideguards — these increase the likelihood of a cyclist being knocked away from the lorry in the event of a collision, rather than being dragged under its rear wheels.
• Early-warning cameras — the best systems provide 3600 vision, ensuring the driver is aware of pedestrians and cyclists at the sides and rear, even if they're not directly visible.