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Charlotte Haye 25th January 2017

What You Need To Know About Driving An HGV In London

Driving a car in London is an experience unlike driving in any other city in the UK, so you can imagine that driving a HGV through it Is even more challenging. That’s why being familiar with the driving habits of Londoners and having experience with the city can give you a real edge in the HGV industry. But before you go gunning the engine into the capital, we have a few words of advice about driving a HGV in London.

Congestion

While traffic anywhere in the country can be a pain, the congestion in London is unlike anything you will have experienced before. If your route takes you through London in any way, you will need to prepare for the extra disruption to your schedule, as it will take you much longer to cover a short distance. You also need to be aware of the congestion charge zones, and if the specific vehicle you are driving is chargeable, which will depend on the type of vehicle and what emissions it produces. If it is, you need to establish whether it’s you or your employer/client who will be paying for it. Places to stop in London are scarce thanks to the on-road parking, so you might find it difficult to pull over for breaks, but you are also highly unlikely to be involved in any sort of high speed accident due to the congestion.

Bikes

While the sheer density of cars in London is incredibly high, so is the number of bicycles and motorbikes. Bike travel is a popular alternative to public transport or cars in London, so you will need to be far more aware of them than usual. Latest statistics show that 44% of all casualties in the UK last year happened in London – a staggering number for a single city. Unfortunately, HGV’s are often the ones involved with bike casualties, and this has caused some ongoing discussions as to whether HGVs should be banned from certain roads in London altogether. Whenever you drive a HGV in London, expect your driving to come under close scrutiny and be ready for it.

Weight, Height and Width Limits

The roads in London have a number of restrictions, most of which affect HGVs more than any other type of driver. You’ll run into weight limits, low bridges, height and width limits on many roads. The entire city has a gross weight limit of 7.5 tonnes in all central areas, so if you’re carrying more weight, you will need to find an alternate route.

The Lorry Control Scheme

After all of this, you then have to contend with the London Lorry Control Scheme. This set of measures was put in place by London councils to prevent HGVs of over 18 tonnes gross weight from causing problems for its residents. Under the scheme, HGVs over this weight are restricted from GMW during evenings and weekends. So depending where your delivery is and when, you may find some roads off limits to you.

The right advice, training and preparation will help you avoid many of these issues, but driving in London is still a challenge. If you are planning on driving in London frequently, our experts can help you understand the obstacles you will face in detail and how you can get around them. For more information, just get in touch with our team today.

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