London Cycling Campaign

The London Cycling Campaign has designed a new lorry to help combat cycle accidents, known as a Safer Urban Lorry. This design is based on construction lorries, as three quarters of cycling fatalities in the Greater London area involving lorries, were from the construction industry. The drivers of these vehicles most frequent response following a fatality is that they didn’t see the victim before the crash.

This bike friendly lorry has been designed with a lower seating position, lower ground clearance and much larger windows at the front and side. All of these changes will enable the driver to have a better view of cyclists.

London Cycling Campaign haulage expert and former lorry driver Charlie Lloyd said:

“Our Safer Urban Lorry design is a challenge to the construction industry to use vehicles that help reduce the terrible number of people on bikes and on foot who are killed by lorries.

“The restricted view from the cab of many of today’s construction lorries means the driver often has little or no idea who or what is in their immediate vicinity, which is totally unacceptable."

Safer Urban Lorry features:

Lower driving position

The seating position is 60cm lower than in a conventional construction lorry, providing a better view of what is happening around the vehicle.

High – visibility glass panels

The windscreen and side windows are much larger than current construction lorries, again giving a better view of things happening around the vehicle.

Lower bumper clearance

Reducing clearance between the underside of the lorry and the ground height helps lower the height of the cab and the seating position.

Sideguards

Sideguards increase the chances of a cyclist being knocked away from a lorry in the event of a collision instead of being dragged under its rear wheels.

Early warning cameras

This technology provides a 360 degree view around the lorry, ensuring the driver is aware of pedestrians and cyclists at the sides and rear of the lorry.