HGVs have been in the news recently for all sorts of reasons.
Locally, on the road outside Straitgate Farm, we’ve had this:
Heavy traffic as lorry goes into ditch on Ottery road https://t.co/SMUUl27cDe— Sidmouth Herald (@sidmouthherald) February 18, 2019
Meanwhile, in the House of Commons, the Transport Minister was asked about what steps are being taken to reduce HGV traffic on rural roads:
Transport Minister Jesse Norman says this is a "very important issue" and has "all kinds of negative effects". He says that "local authorities are best placed" to try and prohibit the use of HGVs on rural roads.
But it's not just local authorities. Recently the Secretary of State for Communities refused Cuadrilla’s fracking application at Roseacre Wood in Lancashire, due to the road safety issues posed by HGVs using narrow country lanes used by cyclists, walkers and horse riders:
The proposed development would have a serious and very significant adverse impact on the safety of people using the public highway.
Aggregate Industries' planning application for Straitgate Farm would of course put many more HGVs – up to 200 a day – on a narrow country lane used by cyclists, walkers and horse riders. AI’s application fails to address these concerns, despite this recent press release from the company which points to the dangers posed by the rapidly increasing number of HGVs on our roads:
This has brought fresh safety concerns, as more vehicles on the roads and more traffic means increased risk – with dangerous lorry driving often at the heart of the highly-publicised road safety issue. Reports estimate that almost a quarter of injuries caused by crashes with HGVs are fatal or serious, compared to a one in eight (13%) car crash average, and that one in three (34%) drivers have had a crash or near miss with a lorry.
What’s AI doing about this – apart from its plans for up to 200 HGVs a day on a rural lane in Devon?
At Aggregate Industries, for example, we operate an incredibly robust approach to the enrolment of our 1,000-plus franchisee drivers, coupled with a holistic maintenance programme.
Sounds good. But it doesn't stop there:
We also use a state-of-the-art telematics system to monitor the driving behaviour and styles of our franchisee hauliers on a daily basis – picking up everything from mileage, speed and fuel consumption.
Brilliant. Does it work? Not according to this:
One area to look at is speeding in small villages, if your vehicles keep to the speed limit everyone else should.— Peak Forest View (@peakforestview) January 29, 2019
Visit Peak Forest in Derbyshire to see HGV driving at its worst, including your vehicles #fatal4
Other companies are taking a different tack. CEMEX for example, is not only putting its faith in signage of the bright yellow variety – see below – but is also employing more widescreen Econic trucks with improved visibility of vulnerable road users. Others are also making this move – investing in trucks "less likely to mow down cyclists".
We have previously asked What’s AI doing to improve truck safety?
... if you Google "econic truck" AND "aggregate industries" you’ll be disappointed. AI use contract hauliers. It’s unclear what new measures, if any, are being stipulated by Aggregate Industries to make their contractors' HGVs safer for vulnerable road users.
