EU Written Declaration on HGVs - PLEASE SUPPORT

Several more replies yesterday and today from my MEP's:

1. 
   Dear ****
   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 have signed this important Declaration.
   As your email pointed out, Heavy Goods Vehicles are involved in a disproportionately high number of accidents each year. Blind spots to the front and side mean that cyclists and pedestrians are often invisible to the driver.
   You are also correct to point out that legislation to increase mirrors on vehicles has not solved the problem as well as point out that estimates suggest 2000 European cyclists still die on roads annually. It is true that HGVs are indeed involved in a high proportion of such fatalities.
   In addition, I have recently asked a parliamentary question on just this issue, both the text of, and the response to, I include below.
   Thank you once again for writing to me on this very important issue. I hope the declaration will help prevent tragic and unnecessary deaths such as that of Eilidh Cairns.
   Yours sincerely,
   Claude Moraes MEP
   Labour Member of the European Parliament for London
   
   
   

2.
Thank you for your email.
Sarah Ludford has signed Written Declaration 81 and will continue to follow the issue.
Kind regards,
Laura Kelleher
Political Assistant
Office of Baroness Sarah Ludford
Liberal Democrat MEP for London
36b St Peter's St
N1 8JT

Tel/Fax: 020 7288 2526
office@sarahludfordmep.org.uk
www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk

Dear ****
Thank you for your email.
Road safety is an extremely important issue, and I am pleased to inform you that I have signed Written Declaration 0081/2010 on heavy goods vehicle collisions. I am also bringing the declaration to the attention of my Green colleagues in the European Parliament.
Blind spots around heavy goods vehicles is a particularly important issue, with cyclists and pedestrians being extremely vulnerable. This is reflected in the tragic road deaths and injuries we continue to see in London.
Keith Taylor, Green MEP for South-East England, is responsible for road safety on the European Parliament's Transport and Tourism Committee for the Greens. He has also signed the declaration and is committed to improving road safety by a number of means. In the UK, Greens continue to press for much greater roll-out of 20mph speed limits - something which Keith and I have both called for.
Technology is clearly an major part of the solution. However, I believe that better driving is also necessary.
Thank you again for raising this important issue. I hope that you receive a positive response from your other MEPs.
Yours sincerely,
Jean Lambert MEP
Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London

Dear constituent,
Thank you for your email regarding HGV vehicle blind spots and the associated dangers for cyclists. I signed written declaration 81 in January and many of my colleagues are also supporting this campaign.
I have contacted Ms Jacqueline Foster MEP, who is the Conservative Transport Spokesman in the European Parliament. Ms Foster informs me that she has voiced her concerns by not only signing written declaration 81, but seeking reform on this issue.
Accidents between HGV vehicles and cyclists are all too common and sadly the case of Eilidh Cairns is not an isolated incident. I believe that the installation of cameras and sensors will provide increased protection to cyclists, alongside pedestrians and other road users, against HGV blind spots. It is also important for lorry drivers themselves to have adequately equipped vehicles allowing them to drive safely. One would hope to see a significant drop in the disproportionally high number of fatal accidents HGV are responsible for in the UK .
Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me or Ms Jacqueline Foster at jacqueline.foster@europarl.europa.eu
Kind regards,
Marina
Marina Yannakoudakis MEP

And finally a disappointing, but understandable response from the UKIP...
Dear ****
Thank you for your email.
I agree that this is a serious and pressing issue but one that should be addressed only by democratic national parliaments.
I have not signed the Written Declaration because I was elected on the basis of advocating Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union; the European Union is undemocratic and indeed anti-democratic. Therefore on a point of principle I never sign Written Declarations where they call for more EU legislation. I would like to emphasise that Written Declarations have no legislative effect.
I always vote against EU legislation, believing that the governance of countries should be by their accountable and directly elected governments. It would therefore be inconsistent to sign a Written Declaration calling for further EU legislation. Please see the attached copy of my Personal Declaration that states the basis on which I hold my seat in the European Parliament.
I appreciate that you may be disappointed by my response but I hope you will appreciate that I am maintaining a consistent stance for those who elected me on the principles on which I stood.
Yours sincerely,
Gerard Batten MEP
UKIP London