The clean air zones (CAZs) are not the most efficient means to improve air quality; stated the Freight Transport Association (FTA) to the UK government.

Clear air zones, like London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and forthcoming pans in Leeds and Birmingham, charges significant account on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) which do not fulfill the Euro 6 emissions standard. In London the penalty is GBP 100 per day.

Though, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) disputes that these zones are futile in the long-term.

Natalie Chapman, FTA’s Head of Urban Policy stated, “Clean Air Zones will not provide any lasting benefit to air quality; they also hit the small businesses and specialist operators who can least afford to pay.”

“In the view of FTA, any air quality benefit derived from CAZs will be very short lived as the Euro 6 vehicles required to enter a zone without charge will come into fleets of their own accord, as part of the natural fleet replacement cycle. Euro 6 has been mandatory in all new trucks since 2014, and by the start of 2021, the FTA estimates that more than half of the UK truck will already be Euro 6. The scheme will soon become redundant.”

In its place, the Freight Transport Association suggested that local authorities go for a different solution, for example incentivizing alternative fuels and electric vehicles, congestion management,and working closely with electricity providers to prop up additional electric vehicle charging points.

This resonates with the stand taken by the IATA- International Air Transport Association, another freight industry organization, in June, which stated that investing in green aviation technology was better than environmental taxes, which excessively effect the least wealthy flyers.

Source : Yahoo News