Millions of vans facing London LEZ charge

Date: 29/11/2011

A significant number of vans in London will not qualify for the city's new Low Emission Zone (LEZ), research has revealed.

Conducted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a study found 31 per cent of the 3.57 million vans in the UK do not meet Euro 3 emission standards.

This means that when the scheme comes into effect in January 2012, van drivers will be unable to drive within the capital's LEZ - which covers most of greater London - without facing a daily charge.

It was also discovered that 37 per cent of vans in the city alone do not meet the required standards.

Paul Everitt, Chief Executive of the SMMT, urged individual motorists and fleet managers to consider purchasing more modern vehicles.

"It's not only emissions that improve when owners and operators upgrade, fuel efficiency also gets better, returning real-world benefits on top of the LEZ savings," he added.

Roddy Graham, Commercial Director of vehicle management provider Leasedrive, also recently discussed eco-friendly vehicles and suggested large organisations such as the Post Office could benefit from replacing their old vans with electric alternatives.

Posted by Nick Anderson