A specialised traffic unit within the Metropolitan Police that targets cowboy operators, as well as educating other road users about HGVs, is to be resurrected after funding was pulled last year.
Transport for London (TfL) announced in the autumn that it would be withdrawing £1m of financial support from the Met's Commercial Vehicle Education Unit, forcing it to close this month.
In operation since 2005, the unit's main function was to help run TfL's Freight Operator Recognition Scheme and educate cyclists about HGV blindspots, but its officers are also trained lorry drivers and use powers from the Health and Safety Executive to target haulage businesses flouting health and safety legislation.
The capital's police force says that after a review, it has now decided to fund the unit's total £2m operating costs internally.
The newly formed Commercial Vehicle Unit's tasks will remain enforcement and education.
Chief superintendent David Snelling says: "We have managed to retain the expertise we had by reorganising existing resources in the traffic unit. This will enable us to continue to focus our activities on tackling commercial vehicle operators who flout the law while also running valuable road safety initiatives aimed at awareness and preventing fatalities on London's roads."
Freight Transport Association policy manager Natalie Chapman says: "This is not just about enforcement, but also education.
"Enforcement is an important element, but we need to ensure cowboy operators are not in business, there's just no place for them."
The unit will reopen on 1 April.
