London, UK: The Road Haulage Association says the Clean Air Zone framework penalises small operators and needs ‘fundamental reform”. It is calling for politicians to rethink their approach to environmental policies such as the London ultra low eission zone and other clean air zones.
The RHA’s comments follow cross-party calls for a reflection on implementing London’s London ultra low emission zone. “It is right that politicians now pause and reflect on how we can best achieve net zero,” says the RHA. “Policies to improve our environment must not be at the expense of our hard-pressed small businesses operating on wafer-thin margins.”
Ramping up investment in engine standards and alternative fuels would help towards the path to net zero, says the RHA. “We support the aim of improving air quality but believe that the current Clean Air Zone framework needs fundamental reform. This is because it does not target pollution sources effectively nor account for the supply of the required Euro VI vehicles.
“The ULEZ and its sister policy of Clean Air Zones are in many cases badly designed which have long vexed our industry. Whilst the intention to reduce pollution quickly is right, the manner in which they have been implemented has been inflexible, increasingly driven by dogma.
“These policies have created a supply shortage of approved vehicles, hurting those least able to adapt such as small businesses who cannot easily bridge the price inflation nor the punitive charges such a shortage creates.
“The design and implementation of these policies overlook the needs of small businesses and the challenges they face in replacing their vehicles. We regret that technical fixes which could have resolved these issues were ignored.”
