Tom Henderson, Senior Associate at Bircham Dyson Bell LLP is warning UK hauliers, bus operators and local authorities to plan for the fact that low emission zones in UK towns and cities are likely to become a reality as the Government aims to reach its 2015 air quality targets.
"Many parts of the UK did not meet the EU's nitrogen dioxide limits by the initial compliance date of 2010 and the Government is about to apply for an extension from the EU until 2015 - but to hit this target it will need to look at how to reduce emissions in our towns and cities," explains Tom Henderson.
"The Government acknowledges that certain urban areas are unlikely to meet the 2015 deadline unless additional measures are taken and the Government is considering establishing a national framework to encourage local authorities to implement low emissions zones in towns and cities.
"If the Government does make a push for low emission zones, UK hauliers and bus operators will need to factor this into their costs and plans for the future. If London-style low emission zones are taken up, there would be charging structures to encourage operators of large vehicles to upgrade to more 'emission-friendly' fleets.
"The proposal is that local authorities would retain ultimate control over whether to set up a zone, and would be responsible for setting them up and enforcing them. But if we are to meet our EU deadlines, it seems current methods won't achieve this and we will need more radical measures. Low emission zones seem an inevitable part of this."
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