As someone who used to drive on the A1 daily, I am no stranger to the tragedies and frustrating delays that accidents can cause.
Lately, it seems that more and more heavy goods vehicles are involved in these accidents.
I would be interested to hear people’s thoughts about whether heavy goods vehicles should be banned from using dual carriageways and motorways during peak times.
Would this reduce the risk of congestion, accidents and loss of life? I’m not sure, but I feel the roads would be a lot safer during these busy periods.
As so many cars use the roads these days, it’s of paramount importance that we ensure the roads are as safe as possible for the people that use them.
I wonder whether HGV drivers are overwhelmed with the amount of driving they have to do and that a ban during peak times would give them a chance to have a break. It seems that lack of concentration or tiredness can often be the cause of accidents.
I’m not suggesting that HGVs are the sole cause of accidents because they’re not, but on the face of it the loser in a collision between a car and an HGV will inevitably be the car because of its size and weight in comparison to the HGV.
The obvious drawback of banning HGVs during peak times is that many supermarkets and retailers use HGVs to deliver their goods across the country.
However I feel it would improve the efficiency of both their logistics and their employees who may use these roads to commute to work.
I’d love to know what your thoughts are: should HGVs be banned from dual carriageways and motorways during peak times?
l What do you think about Alison’s points? E-mail: comment@granthamjournal.co.uk