Drivers of HGVs have been warned they have just one week left to install key safety features and update their permits or could face hefty fines of £550 for travelling around London.
HGV operators will have to install a Progressive Safe System and obtain a safety permit before enforcement begins next week on Monday, May 5.
In October, Transport for London granted a grace period for operators who needed more time to install the new safety measures required under the Direct Vision Standard.
But this grace period will end at 11.59pm on Sunday, May 4, after which drivers without valid permits could face substantial fines.
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The rules were changed in October with TfL granting a six-month grace period for HGVs
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The scheme, which covers most of Greater London, requires all lorries over 12 tonnes to hold a valid HGV safety permit.
Operators who previously held permits for zero, one or two star-rated vehicles with legacy Safe System conditions saw these expire on October 27, 2024. These vehicles must now have the Progressive Safe System fitted to receive a new permit.
The Direct Vision Standard measures how much an HGV driver can see directly through their cab windows, expressed as a star rating from zero (limited) to five (good).
This rating is fixed and dependent on the vehicle design, indicating the level of risk to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
If an HGV is driven within Greater London without a valid permit, operators may receive a Penalty Charge Notice of up to £550, reduced to £275 if paid within 14 days.
The scheme was implemented by the transport authority as part of Mayor Sadiq Khan's Vision Zero plan to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on London's transport network by 2041.
It operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year across most of Greater London. Vehicle star ratings are generally assigned at the point of manufacture and cannot be changed by operators.
The scheme applies to all HGVs over 12 tonnes, including those registered outside the UK that operate in Greater London.
Under the Progressive Safe System requirements, HGVs must be fitted with specific safety equipment to protect vulnerable road users.
This includes a Blind Spot Information System and a Moving Off Information System to alert drivers to potential hazards.
Left-hand drive HGVs must also meet these requirements, with mirrors, cameras and sensors fitted appropriately to account for the blind spot on the right-hand side of the vehicle.
However, some vehicles may be exempt, including specialist construction vehicles built mainly for off-road use, such as telehandlers and mobile cranes. Vehicles carrying abnormal indivisible loads may also be exempt from certain requirements.
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Under the new rules HGV drivers will need to ensure they meet the safety requirements to travel in London
PATfL can also revoke or suspend a permit if a vehicle that has been granted one is later found to be in breach of the permit terms.
For newly registered vehicles, owners should start the permit application process as early as possible, even if the new Vehicle Registration Mark is not yet known to TfL.
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