Even in a country like the UK, whose roads are strictly regulated and vehicle laws enforced, the road is not always a safe place to be. It’s not always what are considered as the road’s primary users – motorised vehicle drivers – who are most at risk though. Cyclists are particularly vulnerable, not just because they are not encased in a ton of metal and additional safety features, but because they are less visible to other road users. In London, this vulnerability has been demonstrated on far too many occasions in recent years.
Despite ongoing efforts to make the capital’s roads safer for cyclists, such as building dedicated ‘Cycle Superhighways’ in some areas, it seems that rarely a month goes by without a tragic news story in which a cyclist has lost their life in a road traffic accident. So far in 2015, eight cyclists have been killed on London’s roads, while figures for 2014 reveal that 13 cyclists lost their lives.
In many cases, lorries and HGVs are involved in these fatal accidents, and Transport for London is now set to take action to reduce the risks presented to cyclists by sharing the roads with such vehicles. According to a Transport for London consultation document on ‘Safer Lorries’, “At present, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs/ lorries) are over represented in fatal collisions involving cyclists and pedestrians. In 2013, HGVs were involved in nine out of fourteen incidents leading to cyclist fatalities.”
To reverse this trend, TfL is launching its ‘Safer Lorry Scheme’, which will come into force from 1st September 2015.This introduces a number of new regulations which apply to all vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, many of which were previously exempt from existing regulations which apply to heavier vehicles. At a glance, these new regulations will require all 3.5 tonne+ vehicles to:
- Be equipped with Class V and VI mirrors, to enable drivers to more easily see cyclists and pedestrians in current blindspots
- Be equipped with side guards which will help prevent cyclists from being dragged under the vehicle’s wheels in the event of a collision.
The new Safer Lorry regulations will apply to all roads in all London boroughs (except motorways), and will be in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Getting your horsebox ready for the new regulations
What this means for horsebox owners who are planning to travel to London is that they have roughly a month to prepare their vehicle to ensure that it is compliant with the new regulations, which will be enforced by London police forces and the DVSA. Failure to do so can result in a £50 fixed penalty notice, which if challenged can be increased as high as £1000.
Getting your horsebox ready should be a fairly simple process, but will cost you a little initially. For starters you need to purchase and fit your vehicle with Class V and Class VI mirrors. According to Horse & Hound “the mirrors can be bought at around £90-£100 each but then the horsebox owner will have to pay for fitting.” You will also need to ensure that your vehicle has side guards, but these are often fitted as standard on many horseboxes.
Whether you live in London or are planning to visit with your horse for an event such as the horseshow in Olympia, it’s essential that you make sure your horsebox complies. In addition to the fines that can be applied for failure to meet the regulations, it’s also important to note that your insurance could potentially be declared void if you are involved in an accident with a cyclist or pedestrian in London without the correct mirrors and side guards.
For advice about your horsebox insurance or any aspect of equine insurance, get in touch with Park Insurance.