“[Sadiq Khan’s] clean air revolution will require HGV operators to reduce diesel emissions in all forms across their entire fleets, as well as require them to adopt new clean technologies,” comments Jacqueline O’Donovan, managing director of CLOCS Champion O’Donovan Waste Disposal.
“We have already made significant reductions to idling and reduced carbon impact, and our fleet management system has seen a 50% drop in vehicle idling over a five year period,” she says, adding that the company has reduced its carbon footprint by 21.5%.
“But this does not happen overnight and the wider industry needs time to make further changes and adopt new technologies,” she insists.
“A diesel vehicle scrappage scheme will unfortunately just mean higher costs for consumers, as [operators] are forced to invest in new, clean technologies, which are still expensive... And with the recent announcement from Sadiq, these costs will come about sooner than Londoners have been able to plan for.”
O’Donovan also points out that the industry has, in recent months and years, been devoting much of its time, resource and investment budget in London’s other major issue – the safety of vulnerable road users.
“I would like the Mayor to give our industry time to respond to his latest requirements and we will do just that,” states O’Donovan.
Under Sadiq Khan’s plans, an additional congestion charge could come into force in 2017, while the extended emissions zone could be et up and running by 2019.