Mayor calls for 150,000 vehicles to clean up and avoid fines ahead of tougher air quality standards

·  From 3 January 2012  larger vans will have to meet emissions standards for the first time

·  Major information campaign reminds vehicle owners of changes and provides advice on how to meet the required emissions standards

·  Owners and operators can check whether they are affected using the online vehicle checker at www.tfl.gov.uk/lezlondon  

From 3 January 2012 approximately 72,000 larger vans, minibuses and other specialist vehicles* will have to meet a Euro 3 standard for particulate matter, in order to drive within the LEZ free of charge and avoid fines.  Owners of larger vans who do not meet the required emissions standards by 3 January 2012, and who drive within Greater London will have to pay a £100 daily charge or risk a £500 penalty. 

Nick Fairholme, TfL’s Acting Director of Congestion Charging and Traffic Enforcement, said: “With the forthcoming changes to the Low Emission Zone taking effect from January 2012, owners and operators of some larger vans will have almost a year to take action to ensure they meet the new standards. 

“We are working with operators and owners to make sure their vehicles meet the emissions standards rather than pay the daily charge.  Including these vehicles in the Low Emission Zone will deliver a significant reduction in the polluting emissions and forms part of a broader package of measures to further clean up the Capital’s air.”

Larger vans and minibuses were originally due to be included in the LEZ from 4 October 2010, however, the Mayor took the decision, following public consultation, to defer the introduction in tough economic times to give the owners and operators of the estimated 72,000 non-compliant vehicles, many of which are smaller businesses and charities, more time to make the necessary changes. 

The Low Emission Zone was introduced in 2008 and aims to improve air quality by deterring the most polluting vehicles from driving in London.  The scheme covers most of Greater London and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.  Affected vehicles must meet certain emissions standards in order to drive within the zone without charge.

HGVs, buses and coaches, that are already affected by LEZ and must currently meet the Euro III standard for particulate matter, will see emission requirements tighten to Euro IV for particulate matter from 3 January 2012. 

Research commissioned by the Mayor has suggested that poor air quality contributes to an equivalent of 4,267 premature deaths in London annually, with many more people, especially children and older people, having their quality of life impacted by it.  These figures are in line with a recent House of Commons Committee investigation which heard evidence that poor air quality could contribute to 50,000 premature deaths per year across the UK.  Londoners also identify improving air quality as one of their environmental priorities for the Mayor to tackle.

Road transport emissions are the largest source of dangerous particulate matter air pollution (tiny airborne particles coming from vehicles) in the Capital with larger vans responsible for 21 per cent of these emissions and 10 per cent of oxides of nitrogen (NOx).  The current Low Emission Zone is working well in keeping some of the most polluting vehicles from driving within London but further action is needed to reduce pollution.

TfL has launched a year-long information campaign to remind vehicle operators that they have a year to prepare their vehicles for changes that will see larger vans included in London's LEZ to help deliver cleaner air for Londoners and improve quality of life. 

TfL will work with these owners to provide advice on the most cost effective way for them to meet the required standards. TfL would much rather all vehicles met the required standards rather than anyone paying a daily charge.

As part of the information campaign a new LEZ website has been launched - www.tfl.gov.uk/lezlondon - which includes a vehicle checker to enable owners to check whether their vehicle meets the emissions standards and provides advice on what steps they can take to do so.  In many cases, owners whose vehicles do not meet the new emissions standards will not need to purchase a new vehicle, but can fit an approved filter at a much lower cost to reduce polluting exhaust emissions. 

^* The Low Emission Zone will affect a number of diesel-engined specialist vehicles such as motor caravans, motorised horseboxes and light utility vehicles, even if they are used for private purposes.