Transport for London’s Safer Lorry Scheme was introduced to the capital’s roads yesterday (Tuesday, 1st September). The scheme is designed to improve cyclist and pedestrian safety and legally requires every vehicle in London weighing more than 3.5 tonnes to be fitted with:

• Class V and Class VI mirrors that give drivers a better view of pedestrians and cyclists around their vehicles
• Side guards to prevent cyclists being dragged under the wheels in the event of a collision

Under the new scheme most vehicles which are currently exempt from national legislation for basic safety equipment will have to be upgraded to drive on London's roads.

The scheme will be in operation 24-hours a day and will cover the same area as the Low Emission Zone.

Each breach of the ban carries a maximum £1,000 penalty and repeat offenders risk losing their operating licences.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, hailed the success of the scheme – which has already seen the vast majority of HGVs in London fitting the equipment as operators move to comply. 

The Mayor said: ‘We are ahead of any other part of the UK in closing the legal loopholes that allowed many HGVs to operate without basic safety equipment. I am delighted that since we announced the Safer Lorry Scheme the vast majority of operators have fitted safety equipment to their vehicles in anticipation of the ban.’

The Safer Lorry Scheme is part of the Mayor’s £913 million Vision for Cycling, which includes new segregated superhighways, safer junctions, and backstreet Quietway routes.