There is a petition ‘Cyclists THINK! Watch out for HGVs‘ which calls for an addition to the LGV license.
The measures should create a two-part Safety Standard that is an addition to the LGV license. The safety standard would commit to Best Practice in both driver training and in vehicle specification. This would be achieved by: A) implementing additional driver safety awareness training; and B) recognising that vehicle specification must include suitability of the LGV for the city centre. The combination of both an LGV Safety Certified driver and vehicle, would grant an implicit permit that allows access to city centres during peak hours. Any vehicles or drivers lacking certification would not be permitted access to city centres during peak hours. These measures can be rooted in bigger government strategies – combating obesity, congestion, global warming – while supporting and encourage cycling. Eight people have died, directly as a result of collisions with LGVs, on London streets so far this year. The petition aims to make clear that “share the road” has failed to address the fundamental issue that sharing is not possible when the LGV drivers do not always see the cyclist. Implementing these measures could make the UK one of the most cycle friendly cities in the world.
Which is all good but a bit one sided. You can’t tell me that it is only the LGV’s fault when I see cyclist every day doing stupid things. Like going up on the inside of a LGV or a bus to over take where there is only inches to spare between the LGV and the railings (which quite often is there between the road and the pavement).
We need to educate all users of the road how to interact with each others e.g. not to do stupid things on the roads.
There is a group on Facebook about this issue, Left for dead and there have been plenty articles on TfL and BBC about it.
All that said do click over and sign the petition, Cyclists THINK! Watch out for HGVs. The more we talk about it the more we learn.