LEZ could lead to freight operators transferring vehicles
Date: 07 August 2007
The London low emission zone (LEZ) will merely mean that operators transfer their high-polluting vehicles outside the area, a new Freight Transport Association (FTA) survey suggests.
National operators will move their older freight haulage trucks to depots outside the capital and use newer, cleaner vehicles to meet LEZ requirements, RoadTransport.com reports.
The LEZ will come into effect on February 4th next year and will mean that the worst-polluting trucks weighing more than 12 tonnes will have to pay a daily charge to enter the capital.
Later on in the year lighter vehicles will be included in the scheme.
The FTA's regional policy manager for London, Natalie Chapman, said: "What the scheme is doing is pushing older, more polluting vehicles outside London."
However, Transport for London claimed that the LEZ would be beneficial overall.
"The air quality benefits outside London resulting from vehicle renewal and modification are expected to outweigh the negative impact of this reorganisation," a spokesman said.
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