How new low-emission legislation will affect you
Is the Government’s strict low-emission legislation in London a sign of things to come? With low- emission cars, such as the Honda hybrid, already on the market it looks likely that although such cars are considered to be ‘of the future’, the move towards low emission cars becoming commonplace is somewhat more immediate than originally thought.
At present the law only affects owners of lorries, buses, vans and heavy specialist vehicles who wish to drive through low-emission zones, which currently includes all of the Greater London area. Should they wish to travel through the low-emission zones, as of 3rd January 2012, their vehicles must comply with the Euro IV standard for particulate matter.
Whether you are travelling for work or personal purposes is regardless, as long as the vehicle in question was registered in October 2006 or later, the new rules apply.
The website Transport for London provides a table of diesel vehicles which don’t meet the LEZ emission standards and a vehicle checker for if you are unsure of whether your vehicle meets the new legislation.
This step towards reducing the emission of particulate matter is a direct effort to improve the health of those living in and around London. According to Transport for London, particulate matter refers to, ‘very fine particles of soot emitted by vehicles, which have an adverse effect on health. This type of pollution can contribute to asthma, heart and lung disease, other respiratory illnesses and even early death’.
The choice to highlight that our health is our own responsibility is a close-to-home approach regarding green energy. Although the Honda hybrid and other low-emission cars are also sold to protect the environment, it is the direct association with the benefits these types of vehicles can have on our health that will really hit home. This is especially so, with many who have only ever considered it to be an environmental issue.
There are a number of options for those who need to take action. Fitting a filter seems to be the easiest option for those who want a more permanent solution without replacing their vehicle. Costs for a filter vary from between £1,800 and £3,500 for smaller commercial vehicles and up to £7,000 for HGVs, buses and coaches. Fitting costs are usually included and filters will need to be serviced every year. This is expected to cost between £100 and £350 per year depending on the size of the vehicle and the amount of miles travelled.
Although this may seem like a hefty price to pay, the daily costs for travelling without ensuring that you are meeting low-emission standards means that you will have more to bear than the burden of guilt. The daily rate for using the designated Greater London area without fixing your vehicle costs up to £200 per day. If you rarely travel through the zones and your trip is a one-off, payments can be paid online up to 64 days in advance, or before midnight on the day of travel.
Other official suggestions of how to meet the new legislation include converting your vehicle to run on pure gas, completely replacing the vehicle or vehicles which do not meet the new low-emission standards and reorganising a fleet of vehicles so that only vehicles which do meet the Euro IV standard for particulate matter travel through the low-emission zones.
The penalty charges for avoiding the daily charge and not amending your vehicles level of emission is high. Penalty fees start at £500 and can land you with a bill as big as £1,000. Failure to pay the charge can lead to a bill of £1,500, following which further action to reclaim the debt may be taken.
The signs are positive, with the Government enforcing legislation to protect the people in our country and our environment; we’re looking towards a brighter, healthier, hybrid future.
