Letters to Fleet News’ editor Martyn Moore.

 

Overtaking ban would not work

What isolated world does Bob Gibbs live in if he thinks an overtaking ban on lorries would ease congestion (May 15)?

HGV drivers are on timed drops and any formal restrictions on overtaking will lead to missed slots at the supermarkets, shops and all retail outlets.

Inner city destinations often have restrictions which mean strictly enforced drop off times, (miss them and no drop), which means no milk for Bob’s coffee.

Trucks run on very tight overall journey schedules and any draconian enforcement (the UK knows how to do draconian) will ensure that some of these runs cannot be completed within the driver’s hours.

This would possibly mean these destinations would have to be covered by extra vehicles – more congestion, more costs.

I too have been held up by HGVs and suffered the same frustrations as all drivers, but I feel the best outcome would be continued encouragement of HGV drivers to overtake sensibly and responsibly where they can without causing undue delay to other road users.

MICK RICHARDS
Fleet accounts executive, Sherwood Truck and Van
Blackwell

Sensible – but too logical to become a reality

I agree with Bob Gibbs and would add another very important reason – it will save lives.

Banning lorries from overtaking completely would stop all the accidents that occur when left-hand drive vehicles side-swipe a car because they can’t see it.

Unfortunately it’s too logical, so will not happen.

DAVID TAYLOR
Via email

Green issues do matter

I read with interest the results of the recent Masterlease survey (May 15), which concluded that the environment is “low on the priority list” of global fleet decision-makers.

Our own recent survey of our customers’ attitudes to environmental issues discovered that ‘green’ concerns came third on their priority list behind duty of care and cost savings.

I believe it’s a positive outcome that it appears in the ‘top five’ at all.

Five years ago, environmental considerations just didn’t come up in conversation.

Attitudes are changing.

This is partly due to the benefit-in-kind system and the changes forced on the manufacturers by the European Union’s CO2 targets.

Most people look in their pockets first and examine their consciences later.

As we enter more difficult economic times, both drivers and organisations will be looking to us to offer pragmatic alternatives and provide mobility solutions which fit all the issues our customers face.

STEVE PINCHEN
Environmental development manager,
Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions