Mayor urges vehicle owners to prepare for air quality standards

Date: 25/1/2011

The Mayor of London is calling on the owners of around 150,000 vehicles set to be affected by the incoming Low Emission Zone (LEZ) standards to prepare for the changes.

Transport for London reports that for the first time, 72,000 larger-sized vans and minibuses will have to abide by the same rules as heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches.

Set to be introduced in January 2012, the department has estimated that the LEZ updates to the standards will double the impact of the earlier phases when it comes to reducing particulate matter pollution in the city.

Mayor Boris Johnson said: "The LEZ is already playing a major part in that by deterring the most polluting vehicles from driving within London."

He added that drivers who do not prepare for the changes may face a fine, with the relevant vehicles being required to have a Euro 3 standard for particulate matter in order to drive within the capital's LEZ for free.

In an effort to make London greener, the Mayor has also outlined the Electric Vehicle Delivery Plan, which aims to have 1,000 electric vehicles within the Greater London Authority's fleet by 2015.

Posted by Nick Anderson