New LEZ standards 'introduced in 6 months'

Date: 5/7/2011

Drivers in London have six months left to prepare for the impending introduction of tougher standards in Low Emission Zones (LEZ).

Under the new rules, the owners of an estimated 150,000 vehicles will need to upgrade their motor in order to ensure it complies, with some van and minibus manufacturers offering special discounts to help ease these costs.

Failure to do this will see operators face a charge whenever they enter an LEZ.

Transport for London notes that the capital needs to meet legal standards for air quality that are set in Europe, meaning that some vehicles will be required to only release a certain amount of particulate matter and no more.

From January 2012, lorries, buses and coaches will have to comply with the Euro IV standard for particulate matter or pay a daily charge to drive within an LEZ, while larger vans, minibuses and certain other vehicles will be required to meet a Euro 3 standard.

Currently, it is estimated that as many as 4,300 premature deaths occur annually as a result of air pollution in the city.

Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor of London's Director of the Environment, says: "The Mayor has brought together the leading van and minibus manufacturers to offer significant deals for drivers to help them upgrade their vehicles and avoid fines."

In May, Fiat announced it would offer large van and minibus owners affected by the new rules that chance to take advantage of a package combining a VAT-only deposit, a six-month payment holiday and a low interest rate on greener upgrades.

Other manufacturers with deals include Renault, Ford, Peugeot and Volkswagen.

Posted by Nick Anderson