TfL not convinced London lorry ban is a good idea

TfL is studying the implications of a peak hours ban on LGVs in the capital, but remains unconvinced of its desirability.

Speaking at the Transport Committee’s evidence session on cycling safety yesterday (2 December), Andrew Gilligan, the mayor of London’s cycling commissioner, TfL, said such a ban could have saved the lives of two of the 14 cyclists killed in London this year.

“However, there are counter risks. Firstly that you would see a flood of LGVs after the ban ended, say at 9am," he said. "While the number cyclists is less at that time... there's potentially more pedestrians (as pensioners typically go out after the rush hour)."

“It could also have serious affects on Londoners' health in other ways, as lorries that couldn’t move in the morning started delivering at night, so people would lose sleep in quite large numbers.”

Gilligan added that it would have an economic impact, with construction companies losing two of their daylight hours in the winter months. “It has to be carefully studied. So we’re not coming down on either side,” he said.

The cycling commissioner also told MPs that the Paris ban had not been an unmitigated success, with twice as many cycling deaths (18) in the four years after it came into force in 2006 compared with nine in the four years before it start.

Speaking at the session, Jack Semple head of policy at the RHA, also warned that a lorry ban would push haulage costs up a minimum 25% to 30% according to a survey of its members servicing the construction industry, having a serious economic impact. “And it remains far from clear that there would be a benefit in terms of road safety outcomes,” Semple said.

Christopher Snelling, head of urban logistics and regional policy at the FTA, agreed. “I must stress the enormous increase in the cost of living there is if your start banning LGVs out of any period.”

However, the mayor is pushing ahead with his Safer Lorry Charge, which was revealed in September.

A consultation is due to launch in January on the measure that would see any LGV entering London hit with a proposed £200 fine if it wasn’t fitted with sidebars or low skirts, and the latest safety mirrors.