Ahead of Direct Vision Standard (DVS) enforcement
Keltruck, the largest independent Scania distributor in Europe, has supplied Scania P-cab vehicles to A. F. Blakemore & Son Limited, a market-leading retailer, wholesaler and distributor of food and drink. With enforcement of the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) in Greater London starting in March 2021, A. F. Blakemore has invested in the P-cabs for its city distribution, ensuring compliance with the DVS and improving safety.
The DVS indicates the level of risk to vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, by measuring how much a HGV driver can see directly through their cab windows. Compliance is required for lorries over 12 tonnes gross to operate in Greater London, and aims to reduce death and injury on the capital’s roads. The DVS rates vehicles with a star system, and the P-cabs chosen by A. F. Blakemore are all three-star rated, straight off the production line.
“The new Scania P-cab vehicles are perfect for the company’s operation, which is mainly within towns and cities, giving us the visibility we need,” said Dave Higgs, Logistics Compliance Manager at A. F. Blakemore. “Support from Keltruck keeps our vehicles compliant and serviced, giving peace of mind.”
“We have a great and long-standing relationship with A. F. Blakemore, built on the quality of Keltruck’s aftersales backup,” said Mike Kelly, Fleet Sales Director at Keltruck. “They are a forward-thinking company, and are strongly safety focused, as shown by the investment in P-cabs, and by the fact that they have a 360 camera system from Spillard Safety Systems fitted to their vehicles.”
A. F. Blakemore has 70 Scania vehicles in its fleet, which are all maintained by Keltruck at its Willenhall and Cardiff locations. Over the last 12 months, it has purchased from Keltruck: five P410A4x2 tractor units, eleven P250B4x2 rigids with Gray and Adams fridge bodies, and one P320B6x2*4 rigid with Gray and Adams fridge body.
One of the UK’s largest family-owned businesses, A. F. Blakemore employs more than 7,300 people, with a turnover of around £1.1 billion. It is the largest division of SPAR UK, owning 276 SPAR stores and serving more than 950 in total.
