Charlotte Haye 10th August 2016

Drive In Scotland? Not For Long…

In a controversial move by the Transport minister, lorries, busses and vans may soon be banned from driving through some areas – including large areas of Scotland. The move comes after Humza Yousaf announced his intentions to clean up air quality, starting with some of the most heavily affected areas across the country. The move would see lorries, vans and busses banned from areas such as Glasgow’s Hope Street, St John’s Road in Edinburgh, the Seagate in Dundee and Aberdeen’s Wellington Road. In order to create a cleaner, safer country, the transport minister is looking to implement Low Emission Zones across Scotland by the end of 2020.

Why Ban Lorries?

Rather than simply stating at lorries, vans and busses must not frequent the chosen areas, the transport minister is suggesting the implementation of new Low Emission Zones (or LEZ). There are over 200 Low Emission Zones in place in 10 countries across Europe, with 2 of those found within the UK in London and Norwich. Low Emission Zones can restrict or ban certain classes of vehicle from entering, or they can instigate a charge or points on driver’s licenses for those vehicles to deter anything but essential travel. For example, the LEZ in London restricts diesel engine vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, busses, coaches, large vans, and minivans, while the Norwich LEZ only restricts busses.

The reason Scotland is now a prime target for a new LEZ is because of new research, showing that more than 2,000 deaths a year in Scotland are caused by exposure to fine particle air pollution, making it a far more prolific killer than road traffic accidents. The National Low Emission Framework published by the Scottish ministers last year addressed this issue, giving local councils the option to lay out and justify plans to reduce air pollution from vehicles in their areas, with Low Emission Zones being a firm favourite. Taking the lead from policies in Europe, Scottish ministers are looking at the option of implementing fines or points on the licenses of drivers who enter these zones, along with an option for ‘charging’ drivers to go through them. There is also consideration being given to a system much like the one found in Germany, where many cities force vehicles top display green, yellow or red stickers on their windscreens. Only vehicles with a green sticker are allowed into the Low Emission Zones in Berlin, Frankfurt, Hanover, Stuttgart and other cities in a bid to lower pollution. In a statement the transport minister said that sites are being examined in mid-2017, with decisions likely to be made on these areas and schemes in 2018.

What Does This Mean For HGV Drivers?

For professional HGV drivers, Low Emission Zones pose a challenge. Many HGV drivers don’t have control over what vehicles they drive, so ensuring your lorry complies with the regulations can be difficult. You can check if your vehicle is affected by the LEZ easily enough online, but if it’s not you will need to check if your HGV complies with the rules of the zones. For example, if you need to go through the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London, your vehicle will need to meet exhaust emission standards in order to travel freely, and if not you will need to pay the charge. The LEZ put the responsibility on the driver of the vehicle to pay the charges for travel, so this could add up to a lot of extra money for you. Some companies will reimburse this or pay it themselves, but frequent travel through these areas will add up. If you frequently need to drive through Low Emission Zones, you may find your routes changing to avoid the extra charges or penalty clauses.

While this change will take time to take effect, it is worth keeping an eye on the progress if Scotland is an area you drive through frequently. Judging by the current plans for main areas affected, these are the most populated and industrious areas most likely to need regular deliveries. For more information about Low Emission Zones as an HGV driver, or to keep up with the news on Scotland’s new LEZ decisions, get in touch with us today.