The Freight Transport Association has called on London mayor Boris Johnson to remember the freight industry in his plans.
It welcomed the mayor’s plans to create “Crossrail for the bike” but warned that London’s businesses would still need access to the road for deliveries to shops and offices so consideration for trucks should be included in the plans.
The Mayor’s vision sees the creation of segregated cycle lanes to be made in the capital, to increase safety and attraction to cycling.
The FTA also rejected the idea of lorries being banned from particular locations in the city at certain times of day. It argued that this could impose difficult burdens on businesses trying to operate in London and that a better starting place would be to remove restrictions on delivering at night, enabling the haulage industry to avoid peak hours when there are more cyclists using the roads.
“FTA welcomes the Mayor’s Vision for Cycling in London – as if it gets motorists who currently drive in London to switch to bikes that would be good news for everyone, but it must be remembered that some users, including freight, have no choice but to use the roads, so enough space must be left so that traffic can still flow, and HGVs can still use the roads safely, said Christopher Snelling, head of urban logistics and regional policy.
“We were pleased to see that the report reflects the successful work of TfL with the haulage industry and that there are plans to continue the work in encouraging out-of-hours deliveries, as FTA sees this as a key way to improve the use of London’s roads for all types of traffic.“
