What is the Direct Vision Standard for Fleets in Sheffield?

Safety permits for HGVs and the Direct Vision Standard (DVS)

All HGVs weighing more than 12 tonnes operating in Greater London are required to adhere to the most recent Direct Vision Standard (DVS) rules as of October 28, 2024. Vehicles with a zero, one, or two-star rating are not eligible for an HGV safety permit unless they have installed a Progressive Safe System (PSS).

Operators of trucks weighing more than 12 tonnes gross vehicle weight must get a safety permit under the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) and HGV safety permit schemes for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) before they can enter and operate throughout the majority of Greater London. If not, you may receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

DVS Kit E-Mirror Advanced Kit Sheffield

Why is an HGV safety permit required for Sheffield Fleets?

MOIS for DVS

The Direct Vision Standard and HGV Safety Permit Scheme are two components of the Mayor of London's Vision Zero plan, which intends to eliminate all fatalities and serious injuries on the city's transport system by 2041.

The DVS measures how much an HGV driver can see directly through their cab windows. The degree of risk to vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, is represented by a star rating that goes from zero (limited) to five (good).

The requirements for London's Direct Vision Standard are changing. To improve road user safety, heavy freight vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes will need to be certified as three-star or operate in Greater London under the Progressive Safe System starting on October 28, 2024.

If you operate a fleet in Sheffield and drive into this area of London, you WILL need a dvs permit.

What’s Included in a DVS Kit?

A DVS kit ensures your vehicle meets the Progressive Safe System (PSS) requirements. It includes:

Blind Spot Information System (BSIS): Full coverage of the nearside blind spot to detect vulnerable road users.
Moving Off Information System (MOIS): Alerts drivers to nearby pedestrians and cyclists when the vehicle starts moving.
Class V & VI Mirrors or Camera Monitoring System (CMS): Enhances visibility on the front and sides of the vehicle.
Side Under-Run Protection: Safety bars installed on both sides (if practical) to prevent accidents.
Audible Turn Warnings: Alerts cyclists and pedestrians when the vehicle is turning.
External Warning Signage: Clearly visible signs to notify other road users of blind spots and turning hazards.

DVS Kit for London Permits

How to Prepare for DVS 2024

At midnight on October 27, 2024, your existing HGV safety permit will have expired if your Sheffield HGV has a zero, one, or two-star rating. Before submitting an application for a new permit, you must install a DVS-compliant kit in order to operate lawfully in Greater London.

Installing an authorised Progressive Safe System kit now will guarantee adherence to the most recent DVS rules. You can either buy and install the AIDA Systems DVS Upgrade Kit yourself or use AIDA's installation services.

Requirements for an HGV Safety Permit

Regardless of the operator's assessment that the vehicle complies with the requirements, all lorries over 12 tonnes (GVW) entering or operating in Greater London must have a valid HGV safety permit prior to using the area in order to avoid incurring a PCN.

The star rating of the vehicle is fixed at the time of manufacture and cannot be altered by aftermarket equipment. To compensate for poor direct vision, the Progressive Safe System must be installed in vehicles with star ratings below the minimum required to operate in London.

The HGV Safety Permit Scheme covers most of Greater London and is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

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Progressive Safe System

Requirement 1: Starting on October 28, 2024, HGVs with ratings lower than three stars will have to install the Progressive Safe System. Below is a summary of the seven requirements that comprise the Progressive Safe System. Retrofitted Blind Spot and Moving Off Information Systems for the vehicle must fulfil the performance standards outlined in the PSS technical specifications rather than the UN guidelines directly.

Requirement 2: The front and nearside of the vehicle must be equipped with Class V and VI mirrors, a CMS that replaces the mirrors, or a combination of both.

Requirement 3: In order to identify vulnerable road users, a blind spot information system needs to guarantee complete coverage down the nearside of rigid vehicles. They cannot become active in connection with stationary cars or roadside furniture. This is to avoid collisions when making a left turn.

Requirement 4: When a vehicle takes off from stillness, it must have a Moving Off Information System (MOIS) installed in front to alert the driver to the presence of a vulnerable road user and avoid collisions in the front blind spot area.

Requirement 5: Unless it is impractical, both sides of the vehicle must have side under-run protection installed.

Requirement 6: When a vehicle is turning left, or right for cars with left-hand drive, audible warnings must be installed to provide vulnerable users of the road enough notice. This ensures that every car is able to alert other cars to an impending move.

Requirement 7: To give a clear visual notice of the hazards surrounding the vehicle, external warning signage must be mounted on vehicles. According to our operator's instructions, this ought to be very readable.

The updated DVS regulations require HGVs below three stars to install a Progressive Safe System before entering Greater London.

The DVS safety permit requirement applies to most of Greater London, operating 24/7, 365 days a year.

Your permit will be valid for vehicles with a star rating of 3-5 until October 25, 2030, or for ten years, whichever comes first. Vehicles with a DVS Safe System compliance grade of zero stars will receive a permit valid until October 25, 2024.

If additional safety elements, or so-called "safe system improvements," are not introduced, vehicles that do not meet the DVS will be subject to a £550 Penalty Charge Notice per day. The permit programme will be active 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. The permit application process is free of charge.

The Progressive Safe System (PSS) is an upgraded safety system that reduces blind spots, ensuring HGVs below three stars meet DVS 2024 compliance.

Failure to comply with DVS regulations can result in a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), with fines imposed per non-compliant entry.

If purchasing a new HGV in 2024 or 2025, check if it meets the three-star minimum rating or install a DVS-compliant kit.

Yes, these consist of a warning sticker, an auditory warning signal, sensors, and a camera monitor system.

The safe system incorporates technologies that are commonly found in specifications, like CLOCS and FORS. Sensors, camera monitoring systems, and audio alerts fall under this category.

TfL held consultations in February 2023 over the DVS Progressive Safe System requirements, and these updates are scheduled for publication in the summer of 2023. Every vehicle with ratings of 0 to 2 stars must adhere to the DVS Progressive Safe System as of October 2024. It is suggested that this will comprise sensors for articulated vehicles that need to guarantee complete coverage of the nearside of the tractor unit and semi-trailer, sensors for rigid vehicles that do not activate in response to roadside furniture or stopped cars, and a Moving Off Information System (MOIS) or front-detection system.

At the moment, you can satisfy DVS criteria without installing indirect vision equipment if you purchase a vehicle with a star rating of 1 or above. But in 2024, the rating will rise to three stars, and all vehicles with ratings of zero, one, or two stars will have to adhere to the DVS Progressive Safety System.

Yes, all HGVs over 12 tonnes operating in Greater London must have a valid DVS safety permit.