Site owners and contractors are being asked to help make London’s roads safer for cyclists.
This follows research commissioned by Transport for London into construction logistics and cyclist safety following a spate of deaths and accidents.
They have been asked to try and set more realistic delivery times for materials to arrive on site and for delivery vehicles to be fitted with better safety equipment. This would include side-bars and better blind-spot mirrors.
The recommendations would include:
1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) should look at extending regulations that govern the reporting of on road collisions. That could help bring greater responsibility on contractors to monitor and, where necessary, improve driver behaviour.
2. Vehicle manufacturers should carry out more research into the blind spots of construction vehicles. Research in the report shows that certain models of cement mixers can have a blind spot which is up to 50% larger than that of a 7.5 tonne “curtain-sided” delivery lorry.
3. Contractors and their clients should look into setting more realistic time slots for deliveries. That could help reduce pressure on drivers facing challenging delivery deadlines and help reduce the risk of driver errors.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “There is a clear and urgent need to address the spate of serious incidents we have seen involving construction vehicles and cyclists over recent years.
“That is why my team commissioned the first ever independent review of the relationship between construction vehicles and cyclist safety.”
London’s Transport Commissioner, Sir Peter Hendy CBE said: “It is clear there is a responsibility for all parties, including cyclists, the construction and haulage industries, safety regulators, highway authorities and ourselves, to take steps to improve the safety of cyclists and ensure that as many of the recommendations detailed in this report are delivered.
We expect this will affect many sameday couriers in London as many companies offer 7.5t vehicles for the larger deliveries.
London Sameday Couriers 