Just over six months from now the UK’s first Euro VI/6 urban requirement will start in London. Five other cities – Derby, Nottingham, Birmingham, Southampton and Leeds – have produced plans which may see all of them following suit before 2019 is over.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) will be holding a session at its Transport Manager 2018 autumn conference series, sponsored by Bridgestone Tyres, to advise drivers and operators of commercial vehicles on how to plan for this confusing patchwork of local regulations.

Due to become operational by the end of 2019, the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) schemes will impose a charge on any vehicle entering the six cities which does not meet the highest environmental standards, including heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and vans. 2020 will see many more cities across the UK following suit.

Christopher Snelling, Head of UK Policy, FTA commented: “Improving air quality is a priority of the government, and rightly so. Yet the planned introduction of CAZs over the next 15 months leaves little time for operators to upgrade their fleet to achieve compliance. The picture is complex, with zones of different sizes, start dates, charges and vehicles included. Some places hope not to have zones at all, but our estimate is that they may still be forced to.”

“Because of this complexity, FTA is holding a session at Transport Manager 2018 to explore the picture as we know it now and to offer advice on how to best plan for and cope with the effects of CAZs.”

“Representing over 17,000 businesses in the logistics sector, FTA speaks on behalf of the industry and has voiced its recommendation that the schemes are delayed to October 2020 to offer a more workable time frame. FTA continues to campaign for CAZs to be tailored to meet the needs of the logistics industry while offering relief from city pollution.”

Held at ten venues across the country, the session - which is part of the FTA’s Transport Manager one day conferences - will also cover the new Urban pre-Euro VI/6 charging requirements, which are due to start in April 2019 and expected to be applied to 20 locations by the completion of 2021. The London 2020 Direct Vision requirement and enhanced HGV safety scheme will also be covered.

Also sponsored by Brigade Electronics and Microlise, the nationwide conference series offers a unique insight into issues relevant to those using vehicles as part of their daily work and includes expert advice and guidance from leading industry speakers. It is the ideal way for anyone running a truck or van fleet, however large or small and whatever their industry, to ensure they are up-to-date on the latest developments. Other topics to be covered in the conference include the DVSA’s Earned Recognition scheme, lowering emissions, Brexit, managing your maintenance provider, smart tachographs and much more. 

For further information or to book a place go to https://fta.co.uk/events or call the FTA Member Service Centre on 03717 11 22 22.

Dates in November are:

07/11/2018: Grand Hotel Gosforth Park Newcastle, High Gosforth Park, Newcastle, NE3 5HN

21/11/2018: The Oval, London

28/11/2018: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham