Courier Exchange

Road haulage firms risk going out of business because of LEZ

Small road haulage companies could be forced out of business when the London low emissions zone (LEZ) comes into effect next month.

From February 4th, freight haulage vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes will have to comply with stringent pollution regulations, or the freight forwarding companies will risk heavy penalties. From July it will be extended to all diesel freight haulage vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes.

John Watts of John Watts Transport in Knatts Valley told Thisiscourier.co.uk: "It's going to cost me a new lorry or I can't go into London, which would more or less put me out of business."

Rob Carter of A Carter haulage in Pratts Bottom said that he would avoid using one of his freight haulage vehicles in the capital.

"Now if you get lost or make a mistake, which you can easily do, there's a £1,000 fine," he said. "It's in your interest not to take on London work or on the boundaries where you think you could make a mistake."

A spokeswoman for the Freight Transport Association said: "Some companies will have to get rid of vehicles and it may involve some companies laying off staff or closing altogether.

"We feel if you want to have a scheme that really works you've got to apply it to all vehicles and we feel freight is being used as an easy target because freight doesn't vote. The Mayor would have a big task on his hands to apply this to the general public."

For more of the latest haulage and transport news, please visit the Haulage Exchange Haulage News page - all the latest for owner operators and haulage companies.

User Comments

As a small scaffolding company in the heart of the lez i have had to lay of one of my labourors in order to buy a lorry it seems to me you get more out of london if you sign on as aposed to working.