Trade Group: U.K. Clean-Air Zones Need Publicity

LONDON – Nearly a half of the U.K.’s small- to medium-sized businesses are ignoring the cost impacts of new clean-air zones.

A study by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Assn. shows four out of 10 such companies are unaware that clean-air zones (CAZs) will start to be implemented in towns and cities across the U.K. as early as next year. More than a third don’t know the zones likely will involve charges for all but the most modern and least-polluting diesel vehicles.

In some cities, these charges will be as much as £100 ($131) per day for a heavy truck and £12.50 ($16.40) for other vehicles such as taxis and vans. Some local authorities already have announced plans to charge drivers of more-polluting diesel cars a CAZ-entry fee.

Leeds, Derby, Nottingham, Southampton and Birmingham have been mandated to form operational CAZs by 2020. Another 23 local authorities also have been earmarked for CAZ implementation and 33 more are considering what approach to take as part of their strategy to improve air quality.

London launches its 24/7 Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in April 2019. Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced plans to extend the ULEZ to an area 18 times larger than the original zone by Oct. 25, 2021.

BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney says: “Unless more is done to publicize the impact of these various clean-air zones and mitigate their impact, hundreds of thousands of businesses across the country will be hit with a new regional road transport tax that will bring additional cost and confusion at a time when firms are already dealing with Brexit-related economic uncertainty.

“We are particularly concerned about truck operators, who are more likely to be impacted by these zones, face the biggest charges and will struggle to find and afford CAZ-compliant vehicles.”

In addition to calling for more publicity around CAZs and what they will mean, the BVRLA is encouraging national and local policymakers to introduce a range of measures that will help business fleets make the transition to cleaner vehicles and encourage the use of more sustainable modes of transport. These include:

·         Only use CAZs where necessary and minimize their size where possible.

·         Ensure that local authorities follow common clean-air-zone standards in terms of hours of operation, signage, communications and any exemptions. As many businesses operate daily within multiple cities and regions, development of a standardized approach to avoid confusion and improve drivers’ ease of compliance is vital.

·         Introduce “phased charging” for trucks so the most-polluting vehicles pay a higher fee to enter the CAZ. As currently planned, all trucks other than those meeting the very latest Euro VI emissions standard will pay the same fee. Introducing a graduated charge would encourage operators who cannot afford to buy a brand-new fleet to buy newer, cleaner used vehicles.

·         Committing to large-scale trials of Mobility Credits. Under this scheme, drivers of older, more-polluting cars are offered credit if they scrap their polluting car. This credit can be used across public transport and other modes such as car leasing and car sharing.