Direct Vision Standard (DVS) – London & HGVs
The new Direct Vision Standard (DVS) rules are about to come into force in London, potentially increasing the already sky high costs of operating HGV vehicles in the Capital. Adding to the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) and the Congestion Charge, Transport For London (TFL) is about implement DVS rules, making driving, or operating older heavy goods vehicles inside the M25 even more costly than it is already. Could electric van hire be the way forward?
What is the Direct Vision Standard?
With the ULEZ and congestion charge being more about keeping unnecessary traffic and the more polluting veciles off the streets of inner London, the Direct Vision Standard is more about safety. Anyone who drives a larger vehicle will already know that there are places even the most observant driver struggle to see in their mirrors. HGV drivers will be all too aware that often, other road users, be they car drivers, pedestrians or cyclists are oblivious to their own invisibility. Passing an HGV on the left hand side is especially dangerous, but it’s a regular occurrence and sometimes ends very badly.
The Direct Vision Standard sets the standard for required field of vision in HGVs over 12 tons, once again putting the onus on HGV driver and anyone driving such a vehicle will be required to obtain a permit to drive lorries over that weight, at any time within Greater London.
In order to obtain such a permit, each vehicle will have to be assessed as to how easy it is for the driver to see vulnerable road users from the cab. (Ratings go from zero stars to five stars – with the lowest rating showing the least visibility and improvements being necessary to obtain a permit).
Enforcement will be via ANPR cameras and lorries which drive in Greater London without a permit will be fined £550. The scheme start in March 2021, with stricter standards (minimum three stars) being introduced in a few years after that.
The Case For Making The Switch To Electric Vans
With HGV’s being so costly to run in Greater London already, isn’t this extra set of regulations the perfect opportunity to consider cutting your costs and shifting your inner city freight to electric vehicles? Specifically, electric vans.
Electric vehicles have come a long way in only a few years. Electric cars are coming on in leaps and bounds and we’re starting to see electric vans which are a viable alternative to their internal combustion powered counterparts.
Electric vehicles are at their best in the city. They’re even easier to drive than automatics, typically have instant torque, perfect in stop/start traffic. They have zero emissions, produce almost no noise and in places like London make real financial sense given that electric vehicles pay little to no tax and are exempt from the ULEZ charge and the Congestion charge.
Compare this to the prohibitive cost and the comparative difficulty in driving HGV’s in congested streets and suddenly, it makes far more sense to keep your HGV’s out of Greater London and make the final stages of your deliveries via smaller vehicles, which can ignore the massive costs every other non-electric vehicle has to pay. It makes real economic sense!
Given that electric vans are starting to get bigger too, (the electric Mercedes eSprinter is the same size as a regular L2 H2 Sprinter – available from us) there’s never been a better time to make the switch to electric.
Dodge The Direct Vision Standard By Seeing Your Way To Electric Vans!
Vans are, naturally, exempt from the Direct Vision Standard and electric vans, as mentioned above, are exempt from everything that makes driving in Greater London expensive.
As the leading vehicle hire company in the North West, we made the decision years ago to embrace the electric future of motoring and made a multi-million investment in EV’s and hybrids. Fast forward to today and ast forward to today, we’re able to offer unbeatable rates on all types of vehicle hire. Including electric van hire.
We’re based in the North West, where pretty much everything is cheaper than London, but because we’re also large enough to be able to deliver anywhere in Mainland UK, even London based fleet operators can take advantage of our low prices and friendly Northern service, giving you the edge you need and saving you a fortune in the process!
