London Mayor Boris Johnson has given a warm welcome to the news that Transport MEPs have voted in favour of draft truck design rule changes.
These changes could ultimately allow manufacturers to exceed current maximum length and weight dimensions currently governing LGVs.
Although this may seem at first-glance contrary to Johnson's stated cycling vision for the capital, the changes have been advanced to enable truck designers to accommodate improved safety features, as well as aerodynamic improvements that the current restrictions block.
Indeed, In January the major, supported by aggregates firm Cemex and construction company Laing O’Rourke, were part of a delegation that travelled to Brussels to push for the changes on safety grounds.
Johnson, said: “The European Parliament's vote today is clear and far-seeing, just like the lorry cabs we want to bring in. We were not sure of success until the last moment, but it is great news for cyclists and pedestrians and I hope we can now work together with the DfT to bring these changes in as soon as possible.”
Although mandatory safety features such energy absorbing crash systems on cabs could still be as long as 2022 away, the rule changes, which still have a few hurdles to clear, would allow truck manufactures to make voluntary changes before this.
Johnson added that he and TfL would now look to the DfT to "agree a road map in order to ensure all new HGVs have compulsory direct-vision requirements in the shortest possible time".