Sir, It comes as no surprise to me, as a former traffic police officer, that crashes involving foreign lorries are more prevalent now, with higher casualties (report, Nov 14). While goods journeys have increased over the years, specialist traffic officer numbers have fallen alarmingly with the introduction of manpower intensive “intelligence-led” policing.

Convoys of lorries on the M20 from Dover and the Channel Tunnel cause traffic to bunch as one leviathan takes miles to overtake the others. Legislation is, I submit, routinely ignored by both companies and drivers.

Enforcement is well-nigh impossible and the widespread “fire-brigading” of our motorways with inadequate levels of real police officers is no longer tenable. Patrolling by conspicuous but powerless Highways Agency staff will not improve matters.

Malcolm Brockman
Folkestone

Sir, The key issue with foreign lorries is that the driver is sitting on the wrong side of the vehicle for our road system. I was involved in a serious accident that left me with multiple spinal fractures and other injuries. I have never recovered and my life remains diminished in consequence. The only excuse the driver gave was “I didn’t see the car, it’s a left-hand drive cab”.

The lorry driver was negligent in not ensuring his path was clear before pulling out but I cannot imagine this would have happened if the vehicle had been right-hand drive. The root cause of this danger should be addressed. Large lorries that drive on our roads should all have right-hand drive cabs. If this means swapping over cabs at the ports of entry this should be done to mitigate the wholly disproportionate and unreasonable dangers that these foreign lorries present.

Tim Moore
Staines, Middx

Explore Letters

• Feedback