London, UK: Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from HGVs in Great Britain have plummeted by at least 72% since 2013, according to a new report from the RHA.
The association now wants the government to change its clean air zone (CAZ) framework to ensure that no charges are levied on lorries of less than 12 years old.
Trucks are responsible for less than 8% of roadside NOx yet in some cases are hit with £100 daily charges to enter a clean air zone where more effective measures could be brought in to reduce emissions, says the RHA.
Richard Smith, RHA managing director, said: “There are still misconceptions about HGVs and our industry’s commitment to adopting cleaner air technologies.
“We’ve all got a long way to go but these figures show that we’re making huge strides in reducing harmful emissions from our fleets.
“We urge policymakers to recognise this progress and target emissions reduction in fairer and more effective ways.”
The association says that industry investment in Euro VI trucks since 2014 of about £2.2bn has largely driven the improvement. NOx emissions from lorries are set to have fallen by 82% by 2025, without restrictive measures on trucks, according to RHA modelling.
