The British Association of Removers (BAR) is calling on London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Transport for London to provide cash incentives for green trucks if the proposed London low-emission zone (LEZ) goes ahead.
Financial help has been approved in other EU countries including Italy, Denmark and Germany. Germany's aid scheme has been approved for six years - it has an annual budget of €100m (£66m) to help transport operators acquire vehicles with lower emissions. BAR spokesman Tony Richman
says UK operators should have access to similar schemes to reduce pollution.
"It would be a dream come true if the LEZ didn't happen, though the chances of this are slim," he adds. "With the LEZ in place and the specialist nature of our vehicles, second-hand vehicle values would drop drastically.
"Funding can make up for some of the money lost, and go towards new emission-compliant trucks."
Jonathan Hood, BAR senior vice-president, has previously warned that even if enough funding were available, there are not enough bodybuilders in the country to produce enough vehicles by the time the LEZ comes into force.
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