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Following a campaign by the Freight
Transport Association to highlight the problems faced by diligent
operators to get compliant with the Low Emission Zone, Transport for
London has introduced a period of grace of 28 days at the start of the
scheme.
In 2007 it became clear that
distortions in the commercial vehicle market, caused by the pressures of
the Low Emission Zone and high vehicle sales in Eastern Europe, meant
that many diligent operators were not going to have replacement vehicles
in time for the 4 February start of the London LEZ.
FTA worked closely with TfL to gather
information from operators and manufacturers to get an understanding of
the problem and from this analysis developed options to minimise the
negative impact on operators.
Any non-compliant vehicle entering the
zone after 4 February 2008 will, rather than get a Penalty Charge
Notice, instead receive a warning letter giving the vehicle keeper 28
days to make the vehicle compliant. After that period any subsequent
infringement will result in a Penalty Charge Notice being issued.
In addition, operators who can
demonstrate that replacement vehicles were ordered in good time are
invited to make representations to TfL. TfL has agreed to consider
these representations but has a good understanding of vehicle lead times
and will judge individual representations on their merits.
Gordon Telling, FTA’s Head of Policy
for London, South East and East of England said, ‘I am delighted that
following our representations to Transport for London the measures to
help non-compliant operators have been announced. Specifically, the
28-day compliance limit for first offences will help operators that have
made reasonable efforts to comply but have encountered problems.
Likewise, TfL’s offer to hear representations from operators who have
longer-term problems with new vehicles will go a long way to affirming
TfL’s commitment to a reasonable approach to enforcement.’
London Low
Emission Zone
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