EU Written Declaration on HGVs - PLEASE SUPPORT

I'm in Tower Hamlets so a bunch of MEPs are just UKIP and they opt out.

Some others were more supportive. This from Claude Moraes MEP (Labour Member of the European Parliament for London) Apologies if you find the level of detail a little too granular, I guess some people are tracking this closely

*Thank you for writing to me about European Parliament Written Declaration 81 on improving road safety through the elimination of blind spots around lorries. I am pleased to tell you that I will sign this important Declaration... In addition, I have recently asked a parliamentary question on just this issue, both the text of, and the response to, I include below...

Question for written answer E-010228/2010
to the Commission
Rule 117
Claude Moraes (S&D)

Subject: Blind spots in heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)

Dangerous blind spots still remain for HGV drivers despite the increased visibility requirements that were stipulated in Directives 2003/97/EC and Directive 2007/38/EC.

An estimated 2 000 cyclists in the EU are killed on the roads each year, with a high proportion of these deaths caused by HGV drivers’ blind spots. Studies have shown that HGVs that travel in London are involved in 43% of London’s cycling deaths even though they only account for 4% of total road trips.

Installing standard sensors, cameras or mirrors in lorries would allow drivers to be more aware of pedestrians and cyclists and therefore help prevent accidental deaths in the future.

Is the Commission aware of this issue and, if so, what measures is it prepared to implement in order to achieve the optimal level of road safety in Europe?

Is the Commission prepared to evaluate and revise the present Directive 2007/38/EC in order to align it with the necessary technological advances that are needed to tackle HGV blind spots?

E-9877/10EN
E-10228/10EN
Answer given by Mr Kallas
on behalf of the Commission
(15.12.2010)

European legislation requires lorries to be fitted with blind spot mirrors so that blind spots can be reduced to a very large extent. New lorries have been fitted with them since 26 January 2006 and all other lorries - except lorries registered before 1 January 2000 - since 31 March 2009.

There is a specific section on the Europa road safety website which deals with this problem[1].

At all events, the Commission wishes to point out that, under Article 5 of Directive 2007/38/EC[2], it is required to report on the implementation of the legislation relating to blind spots to the European Parliament and the Council by 6 August 2011 and, if necessary, to submit a proposal for the revision of existing legislation.

With regard to the fitting of devices to new vehicles, it should be pointed out that the Commission is taking part in the development of technical provisions to improve lateral visibility for lorry drivers in the framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva. Once they have been adopted by the experts, the new provisions will be incorporated into UNECE Regulation No 46, which is appended to the 1958 Agreement on the type approval of vehicles and components.[3] The latter is due to replace Directive 2003/97/EC[4], which will be repealed shortly. The measures being considered include improving the optical performance of cameras and extending the field of vision of the external rear-view mirrors located opposite the vehicle’s driving position.

[1] http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/vehicles/blind_spot_mirrors_en.htm

2 Directive 2007/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on the retrofitting of mirrors to heavy goods vehicles registered in the Community, OJ L 184, 14.7.2007.

3 Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions (Revised 1958 Agreement).

4 Directive 2003/97/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 November 2003 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of devices for indirect vision and of vehicles equipped with these devices, amending Directive 70/156/EEC and repealing Directive 71/127/EEC (Text with EEA relevance), OJ L 25. 29.1.2004.

[1] http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/vehicles/blind_spot_mirrors_en.htm

[2] Directive 2007/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on the retrofitting of mirrors to heavy goods vehicles registered in the Community, OJ L 184, 14.7.2007.

[3] Agreement of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions (Revised 1958 Agreement).

[4] Directive 2003/97/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 November 2003 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of devices for indirect vision and of vehicles equipped with these devices, amending Directive 70/156/EEC and repealing Directive 71/127/EEC (Text with EEA relevance), OJ L 25. 29.1.2004.*