MANY Scottish small businesses could go under because of the short notice given for a possible low emission plan for cities.
Responding to the publication for consultation of the Low Emission Strategy for Scotland by the Scottish Government, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) expressed strong concern about the two-year timescale proposed for implementing Low Emission Zones (LEZs).
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This compares to the total seven years notice that will have passed by the time London’s Euro VI LEZ comes into force. So far, nowhere else in Europe has implemented a Euro VI LEZ, let alone at such short timescales.
Scotland’s scheme would mean any lorry older than three years would be excluded, while, for some van classes those more than one year old, would be banned. FTA also noted that this measure would see two-year-old diesel cars being excluded.
Two years notice might work if what is planned is a lower standard bus-only LEZ – as implemented successfully in Brighton recently
Christopher Snelling, the FTA’s head of urban logistics policy, said: “The biggest concern in these proposals is the potential timescale for implementation. The document correctly notes that ‘it is vital to the potential success of an LEZ that affected vehicle owners and operators are given sufficient notice to ensure compliance before the LEZ is established’.
“Two years notice might work if what is planned is a lower standard bus-only LEZ – as implemented successfully in Brighton recently.
“However if we are to avoid significant disruption to local economies in town and city centres, commercial vehicles operators, and we’d assume private motorists, need notice periods akin to those being given in London.”
Snelling also claimed existing improvements in commercial vehicle technology are sufficient to meet future clean air requirements.
He said: “Air pollution in British cities has improved significantly in the last decades, partly thanks to the improvements in van and HGV technology that mean they now have a fraction of the emissions of the past. We are tightly regulated through the EU’s ‘Euro’ engine standards and these will continue to deliver the air quality improvements that are required of us, even if now further action is taken.”
FTA also stated that LEZ’s have an appeal to campaigners and politicians as they sound dramatic but often the best practical solutions are less exciting measures, such as traffic re-sequencing in key streets.
