- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
Mercedes Econic lorryCycle award winning boss of waste management firm questions feasibility of mayor's HGV rating system
The cycle award winning managing director of a London waste management firm has claimed that the Mayor of London’s plans to ban 35,000 of the most dangerous HGVs from the capital’s roads are ‘unfeasible’. Jacqueline O’Donovan believes that direct vision cabs are ‘the way forward’ but says Sadiq Khan’s plans are ‘far too ambitious’ and not financially viable.
North London based O’Donovan Waste Disposal was thought to have been the first British firm to buy direct vision cabs which increase the driver’s field of view in front and to the sides of a lorry. The firm has also sponsored London ‘Bike Tube’ rides led by the London Cycling Campaign, intended to encourage people to try cycling to work.
UK Haulier reports that O’Donovan was recently recognised for her commitment to cyclist safety in London at the 30th anniversary of The Irish World Awards.
Writing to the London Evening Standard regarding Sadiq Khan’s proposal for a ‘zero to five star’ Direct Vision Standard for HGVs operating within the capital, O’Donovan said that while direct vision was the way forward, the broader plans weren’t feasible.
“On Sadiq Khan’s HGV proposal, direct vision is the way forward to improve HGV safety and we are champions of continued innovation.
“However, Khan’s formal proposal for an HGV rating system is far too ambitious and the requirements will push independent companies out of the running. Coming down hard on the logistics industry is an easy win for Khan, but his plans aren’t feasible, nor are they financially viable.
“Our industry and Transport for London have worked tirelessly to improve direct vision and safety, which is evident from the reduced number of collisions we see today. The Mayor appears to be ignoring all this good work and punishing HGV operators with this pie-in-the-sky proposal.”
A consultation on the plans will run until April 18.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
Latest Comments
- froze 2 sec ago
Just my opinion, but sorry that bike is UGLY! I can't see that sort of price for a completed bike, not alone for just the frame and fork!...
- Boopop 37 min 25 sec ago
I find it deeply jarring and disappointing that Sir David agrees with these people not wanting a cycle lane. Whenever I watch one of his excellent...
- chrisonabike 46 min 31 sec ago
May need insurance, tax and a licence. No problem with the lights though.
- Simon E 1 hour 2 min ago
Yes, they look just like the Lezyne Zecto model. My club bought a couple of sets from the LBS for our midweek TTs so if someone turns up without...
- Hirsute 3 hours 34 min ago
If you can't see a %^$&ing large tractor what ^%$£"!*ing hope is there that you will see a cyclist ?...
- chrisonabike 3 hours 51 min ago
Well if you *can* interview the original riders at all surely they worked, at least?...
- David9694 4 hours 20 min ago
Live: Car plunges over wall and lands on beach rocks...
- biking59boomer 4 hours 27 min ago
Looks like yet another bike share service that's going to fold because of selfish idiots.
- brooksby 9 hours 33 min ago
And finally: I wonder how many of the "more than 3,000" signatures on that petition are actually locals, who live or work there (and are not just...
Add new comment
11 comments
Should we focus so much on HGV's though? Even if they represent a disproportionate number of accidents that will still be the minority compared to those with cars.
Far better for people to actually cut out all those car journeys in cities that could be done on public transport rather than look for a bogey man to blame instead.
I appreciate this comment is completely London centric but we need to make driving here socially unacceptable. You do need to carry 30 tonnes of steel in a lorry, you don't need to drive to the supermarket half a mile away.
we need to ban all private motors from town centres, while at the same time reduce the number, size and speed of hgvs and increase their safety.
the less other traffic on the roads, the worse the hgv drivers drive - at least, the ones delivering to building sites- so their speed in town needs to be severely limited. They seem to see an open road ('open' means no motor traffic, but may contain cyclists) as an invitation to drive at their top speed.
YES, they were involved in around 2/3 of cyclist deaths in London, despite being 4% of London traffic. 9 of the 14 cyclist fatalities in 2013 involved HGVs. The measure had 90% support from the public at consultation. They are a menace!
That's interesting, I hadn't realised how bad it was. Lower in 2014 though:
"In 2014 HGVs accounted for four per cent of all traffic but 38 per cent of cyclist deaths and 25 per cent of pedestrian deaths. A longer term study shows that between 2008-2014 HGVs accounted for 53 per cent of cyclists deaths."
Still, I've been taken out a half dozen times by car drivers on pointless journeys and have to suffer terrible air quality. At least lorries are serving a purpose.
Don't know about you but I can't carry a weeks food for the family home on foot/bike. So if I don't drive to the supermarket I have to get the van to deliver to me instead. Not sure whether this is better or worse.
invest in a cargo trailer... not that expensive and coupled with an e-bike is a win win... it's what I use
It's better; much better.
If everyone did the same, there would only be the need for the supermarket deliver van, which could be powered by hydrogen or electricity, saving how ever many single family car journeys, thereby getting that pollution and congestion off the road.
Spot on - her 'financially viable' is doublespeak too: it might cost buttons for the assembly to bring in, but the costs of reforming from cowboys in MOT-dodging trucks might prove too much for some.
What's not to like with that?
"Too ambitious" means - "we are being asked to have lorries where drivers can properly see who or what (whether cyclist, pedestrians or anyone else) is near them, and we know we should have such lorries, but we don't want to spend the money".
The "cycle award winning manager" was given an award - wrongly in our opinion - by Irish World World Awards.
She has set up a petition for cyclists to have compulsory insurance, ID numbers on bikes - you should get the picture. https://t.co/PmQhc8k1Du
As usual in such cases, she denies the crucial diference in potential lethality between cyclists and her drivers by saying that we should all work together on an equal basis. The victim-blaming of cyclists is accompanied - you guessed it - by say that we should avoid "the blame game."
The fact is that it has been known for some twenty years that HGVs are disporoprtionately invovled in cyclist deaths and more recently it has come to light that twice as many pedestrians as cyclists die in collisions involving HGVs : as yet Ms O'Donovan has not called for compulsory insurance for pedestrians.
I suggest any of your readers who have not so far positively responded to the consultation on safer lorries by the Mayor should respond welcoming it, as have the cyclist, pedestrain and road danger reduction organisations.
Almost all of O'Donovan's lorries are not Direct Vision.
I think you might have examined the issue a little more fully.
Ok, so.collisions are down... Why are people still being killed and seriously injured when there is something that can be simply done to reduce the risk even further?
One death on the roads is too many. The target should be zero and those that stand in the way should bear the costs (NHS, police, fire service, council, courts, compensation to the injured parties (or their families)). The increase in their insurance premiums should concentrate minds.