June 2024 has brought new updates to the rules and regulations surrounding the new Direct Vision Standard (DVS) Progressive Safe System (PSS) set of criteria, and drivers in London have only until the 28th of October to get it right. If they want to continue to haul 12 tonnes or more of weight in HGVs, then they’ll need to make some changes to get things done properly. This spells a problem for most, who confess that they aren’t going to be ready in time for this.
New Rules
If they want to operate within the capital, the new regulations require the trucks to be ready to be fitted with updated kits, which is simply not feasible for most in the time they’ve been given.
Transport for London has been made aware that the three-month period, dubbed a ‘grace period,’ isn’t going to be long enough for most people—80% of operators have said that they don’t feel ready within this three-month period. Furthermore, the move has done little to ease ongoing issues regarding driving in London, starting with 95% of firms reporting that their drivers don’t like working in London.
Ongoing Concerns
Naturally, there are ongoing concerns about the changes, with the new equipment being a particular bone of contention. There are numerous concerns about the affordability, availability, reliability, and volume of approved kits. As it stands, the cost of changing is expensive, but that is nothing compared to the higher costs that come from not meeting the criteria, with a £550 daily charge put on any vehicles that don’t meet requirements.
The new rules are thought to affect some 216,000 trucks. Doubts continue to grow throughout the industry about the ability of installers and engineers to install the kits on trucks— can they complete all the work in time?
A Hopeful Solution
Experts have been working to find a solution that will allow most firms to transition to the new criteria in a suitable time. One practical solution is to extend the grace period by 12 months to allow everybody time to get ready. There have also been calls for a dedicated helpdesk or forum where firms can get specific support during the transition.
A current challenge being faced is that the general election has effectively put a timeout on any future discussion regarding extending the grace period or changing things. The hope is that communications will begin anew once a new government has been settled in.
For now, the only thing that can really be done is to sit and wait to see what happens. Hopefully, there will be enough of a transition time that proper support will be in place, and the deadline will be extended. It’s unreasonable to expect every firm to have made these changes in such a short period, and it would be foolish to punish those who can’t keep up with the deadlines. Considering how vital a lot of the transport industry is to this country, certain concessions have to be made.