Out-of-hours deliveries could create fatality hazards

Out-of-hours deliveries could lead to more death on our roads if safety is not given top priority, says SteerSafe.

The road safety campaigner believes more has to be done to protect cyclists during winter evenings and early mornings – as the number of cyclists killed after dark in the UK continues to rise.

Transport for London recently launched a campaign to retime deliveries to shops, pubs, hotels and restaurants during off-peak hours in a bid to cut down on congestion.

But campaigners believe the new measures are dangerous to cyclists.

“Failing better safety measures, retimed deliveries could cause more death on our roads,” said Chris Hanson-Abbott OBE, of SteerSafe. “Blind spots must be areas of zero tolerance”.

SteerSafe is calling for HGV operators to eliminate all blind spots to protect cyclists and other vulnerable road users.

According to data from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 25% of serious accidents involve a HGV or bus ‘passing too close to a cyclist’.