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on tachos
Page 7
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A safety review has shown that driver error is the most common cause of motorway accidents causing 250 deaths and more than 8,000 injuries a year. Channon plans to hold discussions with the haulage and PSV industries to encourage safer motorway driving.
Speed limiters are already being introduced on coaches following persistent complaints that they were breaking the 70mph limit, but Channon now intends to make the advisory limits (usually 50mph) at contraflows and roadworks mandatory.
Video cameras will also be used to monitor the behaviour of drivers at contraflows and roadworks. At the moment there are no plans to use them as evidence to prosecute speeding drivers, but junior transport minister Peter Bottomley is keen on the idea.
It is likely that drivers of heavy lorries and coaches will normally be required to stick to the nearside lane at contraflows. Channon also intends to introduce new standards for brake and side lights on lorries, and he may take the opportunity to unveil a package of measures designed to crack down on overloaded lorries.
Earlier this month the powerful Commons Public Accounts Committee issued a damming indictment of failure by the DTp to tackle the problem, which it estimated was causing tens of millions of pounds of damage to the roads every year. Channon is known to be ready to respond with positive action, including the weighing of lorries at ports.