Since 14 February, rather later than the mid-November date originally suggested, the EU rules have been replicated in the UK statute books. The first vehicles designed to take advantage of the new rules are the new DAF XF, XG and XG+. Although they haven’t been strictly compliant with UK requirements until now, the DfT had written to DVSA advising them not to take enforcement action against vehicles which were operating to the proposed legislation. The consultation document on the proposed changes said “The UK has consistently supported the introduction of these devices due to the environmental and safety benefits.”
The roads minister, Baroness Vere, said “This is another brilliant step not just in our efforts to reduce emissions across our transport network, but also to improve safety on our roads.
“I hope operators will make use of these new regulations, introducing vehicles with these features into their existing fleets to reduce fuel consumption and boost safety, as we Build Back Better from Covid.”
Phil Lloyd, Logistics UK’s head of engineering policy added “Allowing the use of aerodynamic features and elongated cabs on HGVs is fantastic news for our transport sector, which is looking to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. These features are vital in helping to reduce emissions and improve air quality and Logistics UK welcomes the design of elongated cabs that improve driver vision, and provide drivers with much-needed additional comfort space.”
