A disadvantage and controversial aspect of the new emissions Zone is the potentially devastating effects it could have on business, mainly through the financial strain produced when businesses are forced to comply with the new restrictions.
Despite its name, the low emission zone will do little to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which cause climate change but nevertheless The Freight Transport Association estimates that 10,000 Lorries may breach the minimum standard. They argue that this is a sledgehammer to crack a nut as the government pursues a radical city-wide system of charges to solve an urban problem.
Some companies are fitting "pollution traps" to their exhausts whilst others will replace old vehicles with newer ones. Both remain are expensive options and the FTA believes the haulage industry will spend £100m adapting to the new system.
The FTA also argue that their members would be required to improve the pollution levels from lorries anyway under future EU laws and introducing an expensive monitoring system is a waste of time.
The extension of the restrictions will hit other companies and organisations too with the St John Ambulance service facing a bill for £4m if it has to replace its non-compliant mobile treatment centres.
"We have 140 vehicles," said Len Bamber, chief executive for the St. John Ambulance service "We think about a third of them will be caught. We have a reasonably modern fleet of ambulances but our problems will come with our larger vehicles.
Many businesses have concerns "About 30 per cent of our fleet of 120 vans were registered before 2002," said Charlie Mullins, managing director of Pimlico Plumbers. "There is no way we will be able to pay £100 a day. We will be making changes to our fleet as fast as possible."
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