BSA Attends Transport Select Committee Meeting on Cycling Safety

On the 10th February 2014, Jared Dunbar and John Dyne attended the Transport Select Committee inquiry into Cycling Safety in the Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, London. Originally invited as witnesses themselves alongside people such as Chris Boardman MBE, Alex Fiddes, Chief Operating Officer of Vehicle Testing and Enforcement at the DVSA and Peter Weddell-Hall, the head of e-assessment, training and accreditation at the DVSA, Jared and John instead provided advice to the three Batched on Site Association (BSA) committee members who gave evidence on behalf of the BSA.

The Inquiry was recorded and shown live, in its entirety, on the internet and it is understood, in part, live on the BBC. In addition to general cycling safety, the Volumetric sector (or mobile concrete batching plant) and their regulatory requirements was discussed.

Prior to the Inquiry, Jared and John had assisted in drafting a written position statement for the BSA setting out the benefits of Volumetrics and the regulatory requirements which fall upon them. It was argued that Volumetrics are mobile plant and are subject to most of the law and regulations that apply to goods vehicles generally. It was explained that the BSA’s Industry Code of Practice: The operation of Mobile Batching Plant provided further advice to operators on safe loading, regular pre-planned maintenance and safety inspection regime, amongst other things.

The Inquiry was also informed that Volumetrics do not pose any additional or different risks for cyclists to those which arise from large vehicles. However, it was agreed by the BSA that cycling safety is an important concern of the mobile batching plant industry. The Inquiry was advised that operators and the BSA are promoting training and design improvements to improve safety.

The inquiry was told that the ongoing debate as to whether the regulatory regimes for mobile plant, including volumetrics, should be changed has no bearing on cycle safety and that any regulatory change has to be considered against the government’s deregulation agenda, the desire to promote small and medium sized enterprises, the encouragement of competition (with more operators) and the growth agenda.