News

TfL has finally issued leaflets telling operators what they need to do to be allowed into London's Low Emission Zone - the RHA says it's too little too late. The Road Haulage Association has reacted with anger and disbelief to the news that operators only received official notification about plans for London's Low  Emission Zone less than two weeks ago. The trade association is now taking legal advice over Transport for London's (TfL) handling of the clean-air scheme, which it describes as "completely disgraceful."

The RHA warns that operators have not been given enough time to prepare for the LEZ, which is due to be launched in February. With vehicle lead times increasing due to spiralling demand for LGVs on the Continent, many hauliers will be unable to take delivery of the new vehicles they need in time for the start of the LEZ. This means they will barred from entering London unless they pay a daily £200 fine.

The leaflets have been sent out to operators who will be affected by mayor Ken Livingstone's plans to make the capital a no-go zone for less environmentally friendly truck. But the RHA warns that they fail to mention that "thousands" of Euro-1 and Euro-2 engines will meet TfL's  Euro-3 requirements for particulate matter (CM 5 July). This is despite TfL knowing since at least the beginning of the year that many older trucks would be compliant.

RHA policy director Jack Semple says: "Operators have been told in the documentation they are not compliant when in fact they might well be compliant. This category was completely excluded and there is no mention in the documentation. "It is a major error of omission. This is outrageous. The whole scheme in terms of process has been hugely unsatisfactory. This mailing shows they are on a politically motivated timescale and nothing to do with cleaning air in London."

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders sympathises with TfL, but a spokesman admits: "We have said on a number of occasions we would prefer to see [the LEZ] delayed for a variety of reasons. But it's not something they feel they can do. That relates to political issues - the ambition is to get the first part of this in place in February, prior to mayoral election in May, so they can turn around and say: 'That's what we did.'"

TfL had not responded to CM's calls as we went to press.