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More must be done to ensure the financial burden of upgrading vehicles to ensure continued working access within London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) does not debilitate small businesses, according to FTA, as it reacts to Transport for London’s (TfL) updated van scrappage scheme released today (22 February 2019).
The ULEZ will come into force on 8 April 2019 and operators of any diesel vans that do not meet Euro 6 emissions standards will have to pay £12.50 a day to drive in the Zone. There are three main options under the pre-Euro 6 vans scrappage scheme: operators will receive £3,500 for scrappage and purchase/lease of Euro 6 replacement; £6,000 for scrappage and contribution towards running costs (including insurance) of an electric vehicle; and frequent users of the Congestion Charging Zone will receive £3,500 for scrappage.
Denise Beedell, Policy Manager for Vans and Urban at FTA, the business organisation representing the logistics sector, commented: “While the scheme will help microbusinesses – defined as companies with fewer than 10 employees – cope with the costs of operating within the ULEZ and similar air quality schemes, more specialist operators are likely to lose out. These operators are unlikely to be eligible for funding due to the low turnover threshold. They may also find the cost of upgrading their vans to Euro 6 is still too high, despite receiving financial support from the government. Read more
Source: FREIGHT TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION
