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Boris Johnson makes U-turn on green charges for vans and taxis
Katharine Barney, City Hall Reporter05.10.09
Boris Johnson is to press ahead with an air-quality scheme he shelved to avoid a huge fine from the European Union.
The U-turn means that from 2012 he will charge van drivers to use London's roads unless they spend thousands of pounds making their vehicles more environmentally friendly.
The Mayor had originally said he would delay the third phase of the Low Emission Zone, which would hit "white van man", to help smaller businesses through the economic downturn.
But at the Tory Party conference today he was due to announce it will go ahead as part of a series of measures designed to ensure London and the UK avoid a £300million fine if they fail to meet strict new rules on air quality by 2012. Other proposals include:
Refusing licenses for black cabs which are more than 15 years old by 2012 and 10 years old by 2015.
Planting plane trees alongside busy roads and hedges at congestion hot-spots, such as Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner, to protect pedestrians from dust particles.
Rerouting traffic away from busy roads during particularly hot periods when pollution is at its highest.
The Mayor's environment adviser, Isabel Dedring, said the stricter Low Emission Zone would be brought in because City Hall had realised there was no other way to meet EU targets.
She said: "At the time, we didn't know just what effect the implementation of Phase 3 of the LEZ would have but, looking at the figures, it's something we have to do. Also we are hoping the economy will have sufficiently recovered by then to help soften the blow.
"The Government has announced a new policy of handing out cash for scrapping old vehicles and we want to encourage further incentives for retrofitting, not just buying new vans."
Drivers of heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches already have to pay a £200 daily charge or a £1,000 daily fine for an unpaid charge if their engines do not meet green standards.
Phase 3 of the LEZ will mean the rules also apply to smaller vans. Their owners will be told they have to meet new Euro 5 standards of air quality, which could have a huge impact on delivery vans for smaller businesses.
They will face a £100 daily charge or a £500 penalty if the charge is not paid when the rules come into force. Around 90,000 smaller vehicles across the UK fall into the category, with an estimated 10,000 of those in London.
Today's announcement comes only months after Mr Johnson said the charge was too much for drivers of small vehicles to handle in a recession.
Steve McNamara, of the London Taxi Drivers' Association, said: "I think it is fair to say London taxi drivers have just fallen out with Boris. We spent a lot of money in 2007 converting our cabs to make them greener and now to do this is outrageous."
Stephen Alambritis, spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses said: "This could tip businesses over the edge. Although we might not be at the height of the recession, small businesses will still be recovering and might not be able to cope.
"There has already been a 600 per cent increase in white van men on jobseekers' allowance and we would urge Boris to hold off on this."
Britain does not currently meet EU standards and has applied for an extension that would give it until 2011 to meet the required levels of fine particles to avoid the fine. It is also about to apply for another extension until 2015 to meet the required target for the amount of nitrogen oxygen.
Reader views (13)
Another try-on from Canvey Island's armchair expert and Labour propagandist. Artic buses (better known as the hated bendy buses). they do not 'reduce pollution'. Large diesel engines give out some of the most carcinogenic substances.
I also suspect that one of the reasons PM levels have been rising has been the Chancellor's greed in taxing fuel, pushing more vehicles from petrol to diesel. Factor in the congestion aggravated by local authorities removing road space (e.g. Trafalgar Square) and you have a Labour mega mess.
By the way, the 'deaths from air quality' are much hyped. Even the official report used the non-committal words 'up to' and 'estimate'. Seems that when politically motivated pundits get involved, the truth is the main casualty.
- Jools, London
London is the home of the filthy ubiquitous buses and black smoke cabs. If we have to have them then at least make them clean. I believe New York and Tokyo already have hybrid and gas taxis. Come on Boris, pull you finger out. We're choking.
- Ravi, Camden
The London taxi trade has in the year ending 2008 converted there vehicles to euro 3 now in 2009 we are told they want a 15 year limit by 2012 which will abolish the London I con the traditional black cab why impose euro 4 rules on existing vehicles when they where only meant for manufactures of new vehicles, if they want to clean up London all they have to do is divert ALL PLAINS from going through London and go round that will more than HALF the pollution in London.
- Sabrim Keski (Forest Taxis Ltd), london
I have seen an electric powered van in west London used by a flower delivery company that is excempt from the C-Charge. This is one of the benefits that came from this charge so if we want a greener city then the full charge zone needs to be retained with the LEZ scheme gradually widened until all types of vehicles are covered.
Its also time Boris got Tram and light rail back on the agenda starting with the tramlink extension to Crystal palace which was planned to meet the East London Line extention.
Boris also needs to drop the nonsence over Artic buses given that they reduce pollution by reducing the total number of buses needed while those on route 453 are to the Euro 5 standard.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Just think had Boris introduced the extension to the LEZ he could afford to abolish the Western Czone! Of course this would do nothing for pollution as this area returned to gridlock.
As for planting plane trees does Boris know how long these trees take to grow? - By the time his trees have grown we will have atomic powered cars!!
Also dont forget the increase in pollution caused by the hundreds of extra buses needed to replace the 400 Artic buses and the fact he cut Tram and DLR schemes which would save even more direct pollution from transport.
As for talk of 2012 I suppose this will be after the Mayoral election so the Tories can blaim his successor for introducing more charges.
The pollution is now bring in the charges and retain C-Charge zone at its present size if you are serious about the pollution cyclists suffor from.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
So, you pay car tax and fuel tax, the Goverment fails to invest this back into the transport infrastructure, this in turn causes pollution, so they tax you again because they've failed to carry out their duty.
It's quite unfair to make 90,000 people - mostly small business or individuals - for out thousands of pounds for new vehicles.
And there's nothing green about making the 90,000 vans suddenly worth little more than scrap value!
Once this is in, maybe the death rate from pollution will go down. But it won't go away, and will be used as an excuse for more knee jerk excessive measures that cost the individual.
I think if I had a disorder that meant air pollution has an extreme effect on my health, I'd not chose to live in a major capital city.
- Steve R, London
Yet another reason for the UK to completely pull out of Europe.
- Ezetobebad, Goffs Oak, Herts
Why Ezetobebad, do you like having your air polluted?
- Roy, England
It looks likely that the London Mayor has landed the Government in court by his decision to delay the implementation of stage three of the Low Emission Zone until 2012. If it is needed in 2012, then it is needed now. It is clear that the Mayor's other measures to reduce particulate (PM10) emissions just won't do enough. That is why the Mayor is talking about planting hedges and a small forest of trees at the main pollution hotspots, such as the Marylebone Road. I'm all for planting more trees and hedges but we need Boris to stop the pollution not just plant trees if we are to prevent the 3000 premature deaths in London each year.
- Darren Johnson Assembly Member, London
Yet another reason for the UK to completely pull out of Europe.
- Ezetobebad, Goffs Oak, Herts
Interesting, lets plant more Plane trees and increase the numbers who suffer from hay fever or have breathing difficulties, these trees are awful. They produce vast quantities of fine seed particles that stick in your nose and throat and make you choke. They will not decrease particulates in the air, they will make it worse.
- Bob Hollingworth, London
Boris tries to do what is right and proper - in this case he has had to backtrack to save us London taxpayers a lot of money and I applaud him for that. That is a better decision than keeping with his earlier promise just to save face! Dave - Give him a break, he's an awful lot better than Red-Ken lining his own pockets and hiring crooked cronies as advisers!
- Mark, London
ha ha.. not many of his pledges have come to fruition. Thank god as he just shelves essential policies. Perhaps he could re-look at the cross-river tram he's held up and shelved.
- Dave, London
Our local residents in North London who suffer high level's of pollution along the A406 North Circular Road (a TFL red route) will welcome any reduction of pollution from white van man..however are they going to enforce the existing rules against bus and coach operators - the service vehicles may be less than 7 years old but are not the best maintained fleets.
The shoppers in Enfield Town will also benefit every time they get an influx of vehicles when the M25 tunnel is closed at Waltham Cross
- Donald Smith, London
