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The Freight Transport Association has welcomed today’s publication of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group’s ‘Get Britain Cycling’ report but the FTA said it believes that some measures are "impractical."
Christopher Snelling, Head of Urban Logistics Policy at the FTA, said “cycling is an efficient use of road space. If more car journeys were done by bike that would free up more space for those who have no alternative, such as freight."
FTA believes the report’s recommendation that HGVs should be restricted at busy times is not practical and economically damaging. At the parliamentary launch for the report, roads safety minister Stephen Hammond said:
"HGVs are killing cyclists in cities. There was another death in Victoria just the other day. We cannot continue doing nothing about this problem."
He revealed that the DfT and Transport for London had created a working group looking at the issue.
Snelling said “busy routes are busy for a reason – they are the economic lifeblood of our urban areas. To prevent lorries using them would add to the difficulty and cost of running shops, offices and other businesses in our towns and cities.
"Just because a route is busy does not automatically mean it is dangerous. It is strange to be talking about introducing restrictions when it is public regulations that currently prevent lorries making deliveries at night, forcing deliveries into the first part of the day just when the most cyclists are on the road.
"If these deliveries don’t happen when customers need them; businesses will close and cities will suffer.”
FTA said it supports junction redesign and improved cycling infrastructure.
Snelling said: "Drivers and cyclists both have their part to play and the recommendations in the report for more training and better awareness on both sides are supported. The industry looks forward to continuing its work with cyclists to make our roads safer places for everyone.”
The ‘Get Britain Cycling’ report is now online.
