New tighter emission standards for HGVs in London

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is today tightening the London-wide Low Emission Zone (LEZ) standards for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). 

Under the new standards, HGVs, buses and coaches must now meet Euro VI emission standards or pay a daily charge of up to £300. 

These new standards will apply across most of Greater London and will match the emission standards of the central London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). 

The introduction of these tougher standards, alongside the expansion of the ULEZ later this year, is expected to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions from road transport by around 30%. 

This will help to deliver wider benefits for the city, including preventing more than one million air pollution-related hospital admissions over the next 30 years, saving the NHS around £5bn.

Alongside this announcement, Sadiq Khan has also published the latest in a series of reports evaluating the impact of the central London ULEZ. The report shows that, even throughout the pandemic, compliance with the ULEZ standards has remained high. 

Compliance with the ULEZ at the end of December 2020 was more than 90% for cars and 85% for all vehicle types. This compares to 39% compliance in February 2017.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘Toxic air pollution causes long-lasting harm and is a national public health crisis. In London, it contributes to thousands of premature deaths every year.

‘There is also evidence linking air pollution with an increased vulnerability to the most severe impacts of COVID-19. This new data shows that the action I’m taking is already making a difference and saving lives. These figures prove without a doubt that the Low Emission Zone and Ultra Low Emission Zone are accelerating the shift to cleaner vehicles.

‘I’ve moved fast in London to implement the most ambitious plans to tackle air pollution of any major city in the world – showing what we can achieve if we are brave enough.

‘The Government must take urgent steps to help clean up filthy air across the country, including with a new Environment Bill to give cities the powers and funding they need and making World Health Organization air quality guidelines legally binding targets to be met by 2030.’

Photo Credit – Pixabay