In a speech at the Microlise Transport Conference at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on 16 May, Road Haulage Association Chief Executive, Richard Burnett called for the UK government to work with truck operators to improve air quality in cities rather than penalising them with charges and fines.

He said ministers must come up with a scrappage scheme that works. The recent court ruling brought by ClientEarth that has forced the government’s hand on speeding up clean air zones means that different towns and cities could have different policies – and fines – for different lorries delivering into them. That could hit businesses hard and leave the logistics trade confused with multiple standards and rules.

He pointed out that trucks entering London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone – launched next year – will be fined £100 if non-compliant (Euro V or below) – and when an average SME operator makes around £60 profit per truck, per week, extra costs could make it uneconomical to deliver to the capital. This means more vans, which means more congestion and more pollution.

Photo: Richard Burnett, Chief Executive, Road Haulage Association