Boroughs Receive Funding for Cycling Improvements

London mayor Boris Johnson has announced £17.3 million in funding to be used by several London boroughs to improve cycling conditions. The funding comes from a joint venture between the city and Transport for London (TfL) and are part of Johnson’s commitment to helping improve cycling safety in the UK’s capital.

TRL News is reporting the funding will be used for three primary purposes:

• the creation of thousands of new bicycle parking spaces
• safety and awareness training for cyclists
• safe urban driving training for motorists.

In conjunction with the cycling improvements, London and TfL will be providing driver training for HGV operators who work in and around the city where cyclists are heavily concentrated. It appears there will be no HGV training costs assessed to the drivers themselves. TRL News says all 32 London boroughs applied for funding, and all will eventually receive it as part of a £1 billion programme Johnson is calling Cycling Vision.

Since late autumn, cycling advocates have been calling for something to be done to reduce the number of accidents between HGVs and cyclists in London. Previous suggestions dealing with driver training have been directed solely at HGV drivers. In this case, it is good to see the London initiative includes all motorists and cyclists as candidates for training.

The high accident rates among bicycles and HGVs are due to the relative size of both types of vehicles. It is difficult for the HGV operator to see cyclists at times, but equally difficult for cyclists to anticipate what HGV operators will do. And unfortunately, the size and weight of the large commercial vehicles means accidents do not often turn out well for cyclists. Training both types of drivers how to coexist on London roadways will benefit everyone.

Primary HGV Training

The safe urban training under the Cycling Vision initiative is only for currently licenced drivers working in and around London. If you are not licenced, you will have to undergo primary training with a company like HGV Training Centre in order to drive commercially. The process is neither long nor complicated if you already have your full car licence and are motivated to work hard.

At the HGV Training Centre, we pride ourselves in a training approach that concentrates only on the information and skills you need to pass your tests. We do not burden you with unnecessary information or take so long to train you that you forget what you learned at the start of the programme. What’s more, you’ll find our HGV training costs to be very reasonable.

If you are ready to earn your licence as a commercial driver, there are new classes forming on a regular basis. The HGV Training Centre operates more than 45 facilities around the country for your convenience. Just contact us using the free phone number on this website to get started with your training. In no time at all, you could be licensed to drive any number of commercial vehicles, including lorries, tipper trucks, and box trucks.

Sources:

TRL News – http://www.trl.co.uk/trl-news-hub/transport-news/latest-transport-news/17m-awarded-to-london-boroughs-for-cycling-improvements_801686180.htm