Applications for roadside recovery red flashing lights opens

Roadside assistance and vehicle recovery operators are now able to apply for permission to use red flashing lamps on their vehicles.

Red flashing lights were first mooted in the Department for Transport’s (DfT) 30-point ‘plan for drivers’, which was published by the last Government in October 2023. 

The Professional Recovery Operators Safety Executive (Prose) said that the past few months has seen significant discussions and meetings with the DfT.

It has also been working with industry partners to ensure the appropriate training required has been developed.

Having now developed the necessary training, the application for all roadside recovery, removal and tyre industry operators to apply for a Vehicle Safety Order (VSO) is now live.

A VSO will allow operators or technicians to use red flashing lights on their vehicles.

RAC chief operations officer, Dom Shorrocks, said: “This is a landmark day for the roadside assistance industry as being able to use red flashing lamps will unequivocally improve the visibility of roadside workers and help save lives.

“There have been too many tragic collisions where lives have been lost involving stationary recovery vehicles at the sides of high-speed roads where more prominent red lights might have made a difference.

“This is why we have long been calling for roadside assistance workers and recovery drivers, including our own, to be allowed to use red flashing lamps alongside the customary amber ones.”

The VSO link can be found on the new Prose website. It is on the home page and applications will be processed by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) subject to completing the online red lamps training, which is referred to as VR34 Use of Warning Beacons and Lights. It can be also accessed on the Prose website.

Prose says that it expects there to be considerable interest and demand for the issuing of a VSO, so it is asking operators to be patient and try and refrain from contacting the DfT or VCA direct as this will detract them from processing the VSO’s.