Labour has revealed it is "actively considering" aligning more vehicle regulations with the EU despite the UK leaving more than five years ago.
It comes after officials confirmed that the Government was looking into adopting the European Union's General Safety Regulations for commercial vehicles.
Speaking in the House of Lords, Transport Minister Lord Hendy said that the Government is reviewing which of the 19 new vehicle safety technologies mandated by the EU would be appropriate for implementation in the UK.
"This is under really active consideration at the moment," Hendy told peers during a parliamentary session that took place earlier today.
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The minister indicated that an announcement on which safety features would be adopted is expected shortly. He noted that many commercial vehicles already comply with these regulations due to the international nature of the manufacturing industry.
The GSR was mandated by the European Union in 2022, with UK officials having worked on developing these technologies before Brexit.
Hendy promised to provide a detailed list of the 19 technologies to Baroness Pidgeon, who had questioned whether the Government would adopt the GSR to improve commercial vehicle safety.
The regulations include a range of proven safety features that have been developed to protect both vehicle occupants and other road users. Beyond regulatory requirements, the Department for Transport is a founding member of the Euro New Car Assessment programme.
This organisation provides information on the relative safety of cars and commercial vehicles using a one-to-five-star rating system. Though not mandatory, Hendy explained this creates a "market incentive for manufacturers to develop increasingly safer vehicles."
The minister emphasised that many vehicles already incorporate these safety technologies as manufacturers produce for international markets.
But Baroness Kramer highlighted the urgency of implementing these safety measures, citing concerning statistics about deaths caused by HGVs on British roads. She referenced figures showing "78 road users and 82 vulnerable road users" had been killed in incidents involving heavy goods vehicles.
"People are dying on the roads daily," the Liberal Democrat peer warned, urging the Government to expedite the adoption of new safety protections. Hendy acknowledged the importance of these statistics and promised to send updated figures to the Baroness.
Meanwhile, Conservative peer Lord Kirkhope raised concerns about foreign drivers who "seem to be involved in quite a lot of the accidents" with HGVs. He questioned whether these drivers were trained to the same standards as British drivers, suggesting this might be contributing to safety issues on UK roads.
But Hendy defended the high standards of professional vocational drivers in Britain, noting both the rigorous testing and continuous professional development requirements. He assured peers that these standards are "broadly similar" to those applied in European countries.
"They're much more sophisticated in targeting enforcement, including making sure that those who drive commercial vehicles from other countries on our roads are consistent to the same standard of safety as our vehicles," Hendy said.
He described the enforcement activity as "very successful" but declined to provide specific details about enforcement methods. The minister also clarified that safety requirements apply to new vehicles, with standards for all vehicles on UK roads being those that applied at the time of manufacture.
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When questioned about the Government's approach to vehicle regulations, he confirmed they are "continuing to insist on the trajectory to zero emission vehicles for very obvious reasons."
The minister noted that this policy direction was initiated by the previous Government and provides necessary continuity for manufacturers.
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It comes after officials confirmed that the Government was looking into adopting the European Union's General Safety Regulations for commercial vehicles.
Speaking in the House of Lords, Transport Minister Lord Hendy said that the Government is reviewing which of the 19 new vehicle safety technologies mandated by the EU would be appropriate for implementation in the UK.
"This is under really active consideration at the moment," Hendy told peers during a parliamentary session that took place earlier today.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
The minister indicated that an announcement on which safety features would be adopted is expected shortly. He noted that many commercial vehicles already comply with these regulations due to the international nature of the manufacturing industry.
The GSR was mandated by the European Union in 2022, with UK officials having worked on developing these technologies before Brexit.
Hendy promised to provide a detailed list of the 19 technologies to Baroness Pidgeon, who had questioned whether the Government would adopt the GSR to improve commercial vehicle safety.
The regulations include a range of proven safety features that have been developed to protect both vehicle occupants and other road users. Beyond regulatory requirements, the Department for Transport is a founding member of the Euro New Car Assessment programme.
This organisation provides information on the relative safety of cars and commercial vehicles using a one-to-five-star rating system. Though not mandatory, Hendy explained this creates a "market incentive for manufacturers to develop increasingly safer vehicles."
The minister emphasised that many vehicles already incorporate these safety technologies as manufacturers produce for international markets.
But Baroness Kramer highlighted the urgency of implementing these safety measures, citing concerning statistics about deaths caused by HGVs on British roads. She referenced figures showing "78 road users and 82 vulnerable road users" had been killed in incidents involving heavy goods vehicles.
"People are dying on the roads daily," the Liberal Democrat peer warned, urging the Government to expedite the adoption of new safety protections. Hendy acknowledged the importance of these statistics and promised to send updated figures to the Baroness.
Meanwhile, Conservative peer Lord Kirkhope raised concerns about foreign drivers who "seem to be involved in quite a lot of the accidents" with HGVs. He questioned whether these drivers were trained to the same standards as British drivers, suggesting this might be contributing to safety issues on UK roads.
But Hendy defended the high standards of professional vocational drivers in Britain, noting both the rigorous testing and continuous professional development requirements. He assured peers that these standards are "broadly similar" to those applied in European countries.
"They're much more sophisticated in targeting enforcement, including making sure that those who drive commercial vehicles from other countries on our roads are consistent to the same standard of safety as our vehicles," Hendy said.
He described the enforcement activity as "very successful" but declined to provide specific details about enforcement methods. The minister also clarified that safety requirements apply to new vehicles, with standards for all vehicles on UK roads being those that applied at the time of manufacture.
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When questioned about the Government's approach to vehicle regulations, he confirmed they are "continuing to insist on the trajectory to zero emission vehicles for very obvious reasons."
The minister noted that this policy direction was initiated by the previous Government and provides necessary continuity for manufacturers.
Find Out More...