Mayor unveils clean air transport initiatives for London
01/13/2012
Boris Johnson has announced a package of measures to improve air quality in the capital, to improve Londoner’s health and clean up the city ahead of The Olympics. The new initiatives, stemming from the Mayor's Air Quality Strategy, will deter some of the oldest and most polluting vehicles from driving in the capital through the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and drive reforms to taxi licensing standards.
Since the 3rd January, the Low Emission Zone has been in force, which means only vans and minibuses which meet the Euro 3 standard for particulate matter can drive within Greater London. Failure to do so means owners are liable for a £100 daily charge or risk a £500 fine. Heavy duty vehicles such as lorries, buses and coaches must meet the Euro IV standard for particulate matter or there’s a £200 daily charge with the risk of a £1,000 fine.
In addition, an age limit on black cabs has been introduced which means the oldest (over 15 years) and most polluting vehicles will no longer be licensed. Around 2,600 cabs - or a tenth of the total fleet - will be affected. A 10-year age limit for private hire vehicles will also apply to licensed operators.
This month will also see the launch of a ‘no-idling campaign’ to encourage drivers to do their bit by turning off their engines when stationary. Turning off an engine and restarting it after a minute or longer causes less pollution than keeping the engine running and uses less fuel.
TfL anticipate the new measures will have a significant impact on reducing PM10 emissions (tiny airborne particles generated principally by road transport) in the capital by about a third by 2015 (compared to 2008 levels.) From 2011-2015 it is estimated that around 80 tonnes of PM10 will be removed from the air, which is equivalent to giving children with chest complaints over 12,000 symptom-free days and adults almost 18,000 days.
The Mayor’s office has been keen to stress the medical benefits of the LEZ, with the British Lung Foundation and Asthma UK enthusiastically backing the new initiative. Research commissioned by the office suggests that poor air quality contributes to around 4,300 premature deaths in London annually, with many people, especially children and older people, having their quality of life adversely impacted by it.
The Mayor’s office has offered guidance to owners and operators of affected vehicles, giving them a number of options such as:
- Retro-fitting an approved filter to the vehicle to improve the emissions.
- Purchasing a newer vehicle that meets the required emissions standards. The Mayor has negotiated with a number of manufacturers to offer significant discounts.
- Reorganising a fleet so that only vehicles which meet the required emissions standards drive within the LEZ.
- Leasing a vehicle that meets the standards.
For more information visit TfL