Oxfordshire Overtaking Ban Will Make HGV Driving More Difficult

Oxfordshire County Council members may think they have done the right thing by approving a ban on overtaking by HGV drivers, but their actions could turn out to create a more dangerous situation rather than making the roads safer. The ban applies to HGVs driving along the A34 between Junctions 9 and 13 in Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

Councillors approved the ban on a vote of 51 in favour and nine abstaining. The measure now moves to the Secretary of State for Transport. Should it be made official, HGVs will no longer be able to overtake other vehicles along the 34-mile stretch of road. The vehicle at the front of any line will set the speed for the entire stretch. From our perspective, this is a disaster waiting to happen.

The councillor who first put forth the proposal, Didcot East’s Patrick Greene, said that the Council has recently been alarmed by the number of accidents occurring on that stretch of the A34. He says the Council further believes that many of the problems in that area are the direct result of lorries overtaking one another and, at the same time, frustrating car drivers. He believes the usual government response is appropriate here: further restricting HGVs while allowing cars to continue as usual.

UK Haulier is among a group of organisations and individuals adamantly opposed to the ban. They say that preventing HGVs from overtaking will only cause increased traffic congestion and a more dangerous situation for cars trying to enter and exit the motorway. This congestion could lead to more driver frustration and a subsequent rise in crashes between cars and lorries. Only time will tell if that is the case.

Train for HGV Driving

It was not too long ago that officials in Scotland realised that further HGV restrictions on the A9 were not going to help the situation along the most dangerous stretches of that road. The result was an increase in the speed limit that now enables HGVs to better move with the flow of traffic. We hope to see the same sort of changes made in Oxfordshire. Until then, we will continue to provide the high-quality driver training we have come to be known for.

HGV driving is a very rewarding career despite its many challenges. It offers excellent pay, a constantly changing work environment, and more stability than you will find in many other career fields. The shortage of qualified drivers is so acute at this point that companies are practically begging new drivers to come on board. You will have no trouble finding work upon completion of your training.

The HGV Training Centre is ready to get you started on your career. Contact us for more information about licence requirements for HGV driving as well as the locations of our training facilities and programme costs. We want to make it as convenient and affordable as possible for you to become a professional HGV or PCV driver.

Sources:

UK Haulier – http://www.ukhaulier.co.uk/news/road-transport/roads/a34-overtaking-lorry-ban-supported-by-oxfordshire-county-council/