BR Saunders (Transport) is expanding its trial of a device designed to prevent HGV wheel loss across its entire fleet, following the successful trial of the device on a Volvo FM12 fitted with a crane used for lorry loader operations.

The third-generation family-run business, which is based in Walton-on-Thames, boasts a fleet of more than 60 vehicles and specialises in self-loading and unloading vehicles, ranging from one to 95 tonne lifting capacity including fly jib and winch. 

The company carried out a trial of CogLock, which is designed to prevent HGV wheel detachment and provides a visual indicator and a secure locking mechanism.

The device is set to be launched in Spring 2025 and the company is currently offering free trials of the device.

The device aims to cut down on the number of wheel detachments which occur in the UK every year. Research from the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL)  has estimated there are between 150 and 400 wheel detachments a year in the UK, with between 10 and 27 resulting in injury accidents and between three and seven causing fatal accidents.

The damage caused can be catastrophic, as evidenced by a Peugot driver on the M6 in Lancashire, whose car (pictured below) was hit by a detached HGV wheel on the M6 at Leyland, which crossed the barrier and smashed into the passenger seat.

wheel detachment

 

Transport lawyers Backhouse Jones warned operators that the result of wheel loss can be severe. It stated: “The consequences of a wheel loss incident can be catastrophic and will always lead to follow up investigations, typically taking the form of an unannounced maintenance investigation, or a desk-based assessment of the operator and transport manager by the DVSA – even in cases where thankfully no injury or worse results.”

Operators and transport managers can face action at public inquiry for poor wheel security management processes and for incomplete and inadequate documentation. 

The driver of the vehicle in question can also face action if they have failed to carry out adequate checks, which could result in a 14-day suspension of the driver’s vocational entitlement.

Duncan Saunders, BR Saunders (Transport) senior operations manager, said he was impressed by the results of the initial trial.

“The trial is going very well. The drivers particularly like the visual element of CogLock,” he said.

“As an operator, CogLock gives us the reassurance of ‘No Wheel Lost’ which is enormous and we are 100% going to add CogLocks to more of the fleet.”

The third-generation family-run business boasts a fleet of more than 60 vehicles and specialises in self-loading and unloading vehicles, ranging from 1 to 95 tonne lifting capacity including fly jib and winch. 

CogLock founder Chris Coghill added: “It’s fantastic news that BR Saunders are so impressed with CogLock and plan to expand the trial across their fleet.

“It’s been brilliant working with the technicians and getting their feedback on the product too, as they are the people who are repairing these vehicles on a daily basis.

“It has been great to hear how user friendly CogLock, confirming our belief that it not only provides protection against wheel loss, but it is also easy to use and maintain with minimal downtime.” 

Full training for operators, drivers and workshop technicians is provided and all vehicles fitted with CogLocks are issued with a door decal with a QR code, which provides operating and repair instructions for anyone who hasn’t yet received training on the product.

 

 

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