1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144 
Rikki Chequer of TruckNet UK highlights the role of the CVEU in educating all road users about HGVs.
Page 16
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The decision by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to stop funding the only police unit in the country that specialises in reducing accidents between cyclists and HGVs generating some discussion on various internet forums both truck driving and cycling-related.
One post on TruckNet UK gives an idea of the work the unit does. "The CVEU (Commercial Vehicle Education Unit) currently has one inspector, three sergeants and 15 PCs. They work out of three garages within the M25. They all have specialised training in freight transport, and officers are all ADR licence holders and HAZMAT asset level 2 advisers. They also have City & Guilds qualifications in vehicle examinations; air brake technology; drivers' hours; chart reading; and digital tachographs; as well as police-related skills in advanced police driving; vehicle examiners to advanced standard; tachograph level 2 and 3 examiners' calibrators; accident investigations; and prohibition officers."
So, they are all highly qualified and able to enforce the law. But an important part of their work is the advice and guidance they offer to companies and drivers, as well as educating other road users about driving around lorries, and working with the industry to make things easier for all concerned.
The officers have up to now visited more than 250 companies to help, advise and explain tachograph and drivers' regulations and hours. They are concerned with education before enforcement, but have the powers to act if necessary, and are health and safety trained.
As professional drivers, we should all want to see more police on our roads and motorways. Most of us will have noticed the drop in drying standards due to the lack of a police presence.
While many drivers feel cyclists get themselves into difficulties around HGVs, there is a general feeling that withdrawing funding for the unit is a mistake. There is a petition on the campaigning website Truckersworld, supported by the Freight Transport Association among others, asking Johnson to change his mind. It can be found at http://tiny.cc/qPJAz