DVS grace period decision: Hauliers need more time

Hauliers throughout our industry continue to face challenges around London's DVS ahead of the roll-out of the Progressive Safe System (PSS) which is slated for 28 October.

On behalf of our members and the industry, we sought and delivered more clarity on DVS specifications, and we've collaborated closely with Steve Summerskill and Loughborough University to publish the DVS Explainer Document which offers a greater insight into the requirements needed to meet the specification.

We want to make the new DVS requirements work and we've learned from our recent readiness survey and from listening to members that there are still a number of concerns. Many operators are concerned about the availability and reliability of equipment, others are concerned about the timeframe available to install equipment. Operators seek certainty before they can invest in kit.

I'd like to thank our members and the industry for responding to our second survey. There's still significant concern about the timescale available to retrofit trucks with compliant equipment. We had a significant response from across the industry and our membership, consisting of large, medium, and small operators. The results were conclusive with 89 percent calling for the grace period to be extended by at least 12 months. It was also notable that 57 percent of all respondents said they're not confident of being able to install compliant equipment in the time currently available.

A final decision on the length of grace period is coming from London Councils next week on Thursday 18 July. We firmly believe that there's a real need for a grace period extension from the current three months to a minimum of twelve. We're simply asking for a fair and realistic assessment of the current situation across the industry.

We'll continue to work with partners, and we'll continue our dialogue with TfL so that firms have the clarity and confidence to invest in the right equipment. Equally, we'll continue to make the point about the need for a realistic assessment of industry readiness.

I'd encourage all hauliers who operate in London to attend our DVS interactive event in Peterborough on Monday, 22 July. This is an opportunity for you to interact with Steve Summerskill from Loughborough University, author of the DVS Explainer, and witness firsthand what compliant kit looks like.

You can book tickets :

Morning Session - https://lnkd.in/eUrSG7FF

Afternoon Session - https://lnkd.in/ehPzPC74

We continue to welcome your feedback on DVS readiness. Your input gives us clear and concise evidence to share with TfL and TEC. We will keep you updated with developments.