London, UK: The Road Haulage Association has learned that Transport for London (TfL) is to recommend that hauliers operating in London should have six months, not three, to get their lorries compliant with the new Direct Vision Standard.
If the proposal is approved, enforcement of the new Progressive Safe System (PSS) will begin from 4 May 2025. The new standard is being launched on 28 October 2024.
Councillors are meeting on Thursday (18 July) at the London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee’s AGM where a decision is expected on the recommendation.
The RHA has long argued that hauliers need more time to comply with the new standard, calling for a grace period from the current three months to a minimum of twelve months.
It pointed out that many operators are concerned about the availability and reliability of equipment; others are concerned about the timeframe available to retrofit trucks with compliant equipment.
An RHA survey found that 89% wanted the grace period to be extended by at least 12 months. Some 57% of respondents said that they were not confident of being able to install compliant equipment in the time currently available.
