Mayor gives go-ahead for London Low Emission Zone
Mon 21 May 2007
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The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has announced that London’s Low Emission Zone will come into force on 4th February 2008. Trucks, including specialist vehicles over 12 tonnes, will need to meet Euro 3-based emission standards whilst commercial vehicles, motorhomes and other specialist vehicles over 3.5 tonnes will need to observe the LEZ from 7 July 2008.
From October 2010, vans over 1.2 tonnes will also be affected. In 2012 the minimum emissions standard will shift to Euro 4. Fines will be in place from the LEZ launch next February: the daily penalty will be set at £200 and use number plate recognition. Failure to pay will mean a £1,000 fine.
The Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association were critical of the announcement. The RHA said that the LEZ decision “represents yet another blow to the very industry on which the UK's capital is totally reliant.” The RHA argued that the LEZ penalises old trucks over 12 tonnes that don’t meet Euro 3 emissions standards and affects nearly 20,000 trucks. “Without heavy trucks London would, quite literally, grind to a halt”, a spokesperson said.
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