The traffic commissioners are urging all drivers and operators to read the new diesel spill guidance from Highways England.

The most recent moving on blog post  highlights the impact that diesel spills have on all of us. Delays in journey times, effects on the environment and costly clean up work means spills should be taken seriously, and every effort should be made to prevent them from happening.

A survey of over 200 fleet operators by Highways England revealed that an astonishingly high 42% did not carry spill kits in their vehicles. As transport regulators, the traffic commissioners find this very concerning.

To help raise awareness in the industry, Highways England have issued a diesel spillage best practice guide to provide advice to drivers and operators on how to reduce the number of incidents, and how to deal with, and report spills, if they do happen.

The guide aims to reduce:

•            the number and severity of incidents

•            the number and cost of claims for Highways England to pursue and reclaim

•            the risk of diesel entering the water course and causing environmental damage

•            the costs from resurfacing and repairs to roads

It will help you to:

•            reduce the risk of DVSA prohibitions and other potential penalties

•            reduce loss of vehicle, fuel and driver time

•            prevent insurance premium increases

Whether you are a commercial driver, or an operator, you must have a thorough understanding of your responsibilities. You can read the full lists full lists of driver and operator duties on the blog to familiarise yourself.

Saving a copy of the diesel spillage best practice guide for reference should help you turn the advice into standard practice for all operations.

You should also take a look at “What’s the impact and cost of diesel spillage leaflet” which contains real life examples of incidents.