From 2021 operators of trucks over 12 tonnes gross vehicle weight will require an HGV Safety Permit to operate in or enter Greater London.
Governed by the Direct Vision Standard, the organisation labels HGVs with a star rating. This rating indicates the amount of visibility a truck driver has through the cab windows.
The Safe System will help truck owners reduce the dangers associated with HGVs by identifying trucks that don’t meet the minimum start rating for an HGV Safety Permit. Businesses will need to bring vehicles up to standard to acquire the permit, which will improve safety, with a knock-on effect of improving driver comfort and efficiency when maneuvering the vehicle.
What do DVS star ratings mean?
The star ratings range from zero to five stars. Zero stars denote poor direct vision, and five stars denote excellent direct vision.
If your truck is rated one to five stars, you can apply for an HGV Safety Permit with no supporting evidence. If your truck is rated zero stars, you will need to bring it up to standard by adding safety equipment.
How to meet the minimum DVS star rating
You will need to add safety equipment and then provide two photos as evidence that you have fitted the equipment to acquire your HGV Safety Permit.
The safety equipment you need to fit includes:
- Class V and VI mirrors
- A sensor system with driver alerts
- A nearside operational camera monitoring system
- Warning signage / external pictorial stickers
- An audible truck maneuvering warning for making left turns
- Side under-run protection
You can view further details of the legislation in the HGV safety permit guidance. You can check the DVS star rating for your trucks by entering their number plates on the DVS HGV Safety Permit Application webpage.