News

Van website Vansunited.co.uk has hit out at the introduction of speed limiters on vans above 3.5 tonnes, claiming that it has not been publicised enough and the benefits have not been justified. In a recent survey it found that 84% of van drivers were unaware of the legislation, which commenced on 1 January, stating that vans must be fitted with limiters restricting them to 56mph. It also found that 72% of van drivers felt victimised by legislators  and 92% had no idea about the penalties they faced.

Vansunited.co.uk's product manager Duncan Colman says: "The worst element of this legislation is the fact that Vosa hasn't provided any period of grace for van owners and doesn't feel obliged to promote the intrusive measures."

He adds: "We believe the reasons for the new legislation are safety-based, ie that heavier vehicles take longer to stop. However this hasn't been confirmed and official statistics show that most accidents, fatalities and serious injuries take place on rural and urban roads - where speed limits are usually much less than 56mph." The survey also showed that van operators are concerned about clients' reactions to longer delivery turnarounds and a lack of consultation on the new rules.