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Road Haulage Association (RHA) chief executive Roger King (pictured) has spoken out against the proposed London low-emission zone (LEZ) and the marketing campaign that supports it.

The RHA has criticised the lack of informed debate which denies the general public of the chance to make up their own minds about the impact the LEZ will have on their everyday lives.

But it also says it is not too late for operators to challenge Transport for London (TfL) to provide proof of the benefits an LEZ will bring to the capital.

"The LEZ is bad for everyone and is completely unnecessary," says King. "Commercial vehicles are being replaced gradually anyway, without all the red tape. The technology used in these vehicles is progressing at a good rate and doesn't need laws like these to speed up the process.

"If a vehicle passes its MoT it should be fit to drive anywhere in the country," he points out.

King also attacked the TfL's advertising campaign as misleading and lacking in true content and substance. The campaign portrays commercial vehicles as the main cause of pollution in London, even though they make up only 4% of the capital's traffic movements.

If the LEZ comes into effect, he warns, it will penalise businesses that supply services to Londoners, which cannot  be provided in any other way. It will hit small and medium-sized businesses in particular, as they will have the most difficulty changing their fleets.