Home / News / TRUCKFEST, SOUTH EAST – AUGUST 2023

TRUCKFEST, SOUTH EAST – AUGUST 2023

Posted on Monday 21st August 2023 in All Road Users, Business, Drivers, Education and Training, Speed

Truckfest is a transport festival in the United Kingdom centred on trucks and the haulage industry. As well as trade stands and music entertainment, highlights of the shows are displays of customised trucks and monster trucks. The festival is Europe’s largest trucking festival since 1983!

Truckfest South East is held in Ardingly at the South of England Showground and is said to be the biggest get-together in the lorry-driving calendar. Sussex Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP) attended the event for the second year along with support for Partners, including; National Highways South East, Commercial Vehicle Unit and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.

Tom Hart, SSRPs Programme Delivery Officer, attended the event and said:

“Approximately 1000 individuals were killed or seriously injured in Sussex, between January 2020 to December 2022, with commercial vehicles identified as a contributory factor. There was a bicycle on display besides a HGV, demonstrating to cyclists how limited the vision of HGV drivers would be if they were to move in front of the vehicle without prior warning. SSRP distributed a large number of Fresnel lenses, provided by National Highways for fleet managers and HGV drivers, while HGV and LGV drivers welcomed discussion on speed limit variations and Highway Code changes.

The Safety Camera Van provided a massive draw to the stand, with many members of the public asking questions about how this is operated and its role in targeting those who exceed the speed limit. The majority of visitors understood that with speeding accounting for approximately 1 in 3 serious injuries and/ or fatalities in Sussex, the team provide a valuable service in reducing this.”

Sussex and Surrey Police Commercial Vehicle Unit (CVU) is a team dedicated to policing commercial vehicle use across the county, particularly the strategic road network. CVU provides specialist enforcement, knowledge and investigative capability for commercial vehicle activity, alongside contributing towards improving the safety of all those using the roads in Sussex and Surrey. As well as policing compliance and adherence to the wide range of legislation and regulation associated with commercial vehicles, the CVU has a role in the disruption and investigation of a range of criminality related to commercial vehicle activity and use; this includes the carriage of dangerous goods, plant and agricultural vehicles, taxis and private hire vehicles.

Also in attendance at Truckfest was National Highways South East (NHSE). From Hampshire and Berkshire to Surrey, Sussex and Kent, the South East has 500 miles of motorways and A-roads taking people to visitor attractions like Windsor Castle, Ascot races, Legoland and Wembley Stadium. During school holidays, the south coast, including Brighton and Bournemouth, draws the crowds via the M3 while those seeking an international getaway use the M25, the M23 and the M4 to fly from Gatwick and Heathrow. Our roads also support the international ports of Dover, Portsmouth and Southampton. The South East’s roads are the most heavily used in the country, and their work on the M4, the M3, the M23 and the M25 will improve traffic flow and maintain these vital routes. But it’s not just all about cars and drivers. NHSE is improving conditions for pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists too, and striking a fine balance between increasing capacity and safety as well as protecting history, landscape and the environment.

Turners Hill Fire Station attended Truckfest on Sunday 20th of August. The crew showed members of the public around the truck while delivering road safety messaging. NFCC’s Road Safety Group supports fire and rescue services across the United Kingdom in reducing fatalities and serious injuries on the roads through collaborative work with partner agencies and support and facilitating innovation and road safety education.

Sussex Safer Roads Partnership brings together teams from Brighton and Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, National Highways, Sussex Police and West Sussex County Council, including West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. We believe that, together, we can create a safer environment for all road users, significantly reduce life-changing injuries and eliminate fatalities. Using the wealth of knowledge and experience within the Partnership, we aim to provide advice and support to all road users across Sussex. We refine and develop strategies to promote road safety and encourage everyone to consider how they use the roads and how everyone can become safer.

There are still too many collisions in Sussex, many of these preventable. Through a range of campaigns and initiatives, we intend to raise awareness of; laws, key messages, preventative measures, information and guidance to create safer roads for all. Attending events like Truckfest enable us to reach a variety of different road users from professional drivers through to families.