UK – In October 2024, hauliers in London will have to adopt new star Direct Vision Standard* (DVS) legislation from the Transport for London (TfL), to operate on the streets of the capital. All heavy vehicles over 12 tonnes will require a permit to drive into Greater London, including vehicles from outside of the UK. If a vehicle has a DVS rating of less than 3 stars, operators will need to fit extra safety devices to comply, such as radars and sensors that alert drivers to vulnerable road users who are in a vehicle’s blind spot. This added equipment should give the driver better vision, thereby improving road safety.

Lobbying groups such as the RHA have been questioning the timeframe and the affordability challenges. Another issue is the availability of the required DVS kit and the engineers to install these systems to meet the deadline. Just last year, more than 450 UK haulage firms went into liquidation, doubling the 2022 statistics. This could all have a knock-on effect in the supply chain, with the end consumer fitting the bill.