CLEAN AIR ZONES (CAZ) Clean Air Zones and how various UK cities’ evolving schemes impact logistics and other road transport operators' 3.5t to HGV fleets. Of note to intercontinental logistics operators whose vehicles venture into Europe, HGVs are banned at certain times in cities such as Paris in France29 and the Spanish capital Madrid30, in a bid to meet EU regulations to reduce HGV CO2 emissions31 by 15% by 2025. Before considering which clean air zones (CAZ) are already in operation in the UK, which cities and towns are currently working towards implementation, and which schemes have been considerably revised or scrapped entirely, it’s worth revealing that, as of Q4 2020, air pollution is still said to cause around 40,000 deaths across the UK each year according to Royal College of Physicians data7, costing the NHS and other services over £20 billion annually. Worse, though, is ClientEarth’s analysis of the government’s latest air quality plan as of October 2020 identifying that a sizeable 33 of the 43 national reporting zones were in breach of legal air pollution limits during the previous calendar year. Many people rightly felt a sense of optimism when air pollution fell during the first tranche of Covid-19 lockdowns, but lawyer Katie Nield’s sentiments8 that “it is clear that the pandemic will not solve the problem in the long-term, with pollution already lurching back to pre-lockdown levels” regrettably ring true – and some CAZ have disappointingly been postponed because of the Coronavirus pandemic, although it’s conversely fair to point out the very welcome pop-up and more permanent cycle lane initiatives implemented in Europe and, more locally, cities including Edinburgh9 and Bristol10. The different types of clean air zones CAZ are split into charging zones that impose fees for vehicles driving in them, and non-charging derivatives that rely on other measures to reduce air pollution, such as extra cycle lanes, road layout improvements and enhanced public transport networks. Clean air zones are also subcategorised into classes A to D, all including HGVs except A. Currently, HGV truck tractor units, rigid vehicles and other heavy commercial iterations are exempt from clean air zone restrictions and charges if they meet Euro 6 (VI) emissions standards, which generally entails those registered after 2014. RIGID BODYWORK > Manchester The Northern Powerhouse city has been directed by Whitehall to introduce a category C clean air zone and it’s likely, according to the Clean Air for Greater Manchester website20, that buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles (HGV) not meeting the ‘Euro retro 6 standard’ will be charged £60 per day from spring 2022, while taxis and private hire vehicles will be charged £7.50, but light goods vehicle (LGV) van operators will welcome the news that they won’t be charged until 2023 thanks to a temporary exemption. Just like London’s ULEZ and LEZ, Manchester’s CAZ won’t include motorways and major ring roads such as the M60 themselves, because these are maintained by Highways England, but the city’s proposed boundary will likely extend as far west as Ince-in-Makerfield, as north as Littleborough on the top side of the M62, as far south as Wilmslow in Cheshire, and across to Saddleworth on the other side of Stalybridge to the east. Oxford With welcome pragmatism reflecting the challenging times we live in amidst Coronavirus, not to mention Brexit, Oxford is set to delay the introduction of its Zero Emissions Zone (ZEZ) from December 2020 to summer 2021, stating22: “recognise that businesses and residents across the city, including those in the Red Zone, need to focus all of their attention on managing the current and potential impacts on their trade and way of life. The councils have therefore decided that during this period of uncertainty, businesses should not be expected to devote time to the detailed logistical planning required for the Oxford ZEZ.” Remarkably fairly, Oxford’s planned charges seem to level the vehicular playing field, with the same £10 fee charged to private cars, 3.5t light commercial vehicles and HGVs alike, rising to £20 by 2030, which seems very reasonable compared to some schemes’ much higher daily fees, which the RHA previously asserted could “equate to an additional 25% on the daily running cost of a non-compliant vehicle” with “SMEs and small businesses that will be worst affected.” To qualify as fee-exempt under Oxford’s ZEZ, a truck exceeding 3.5 tonnes must produce “CO2 emissions at least 50% less than the equivalent conventional Euro VI vehicle of the same category and provide at least 10 miles zero emission range.” Oxford City Council says that it will continuously “review zero emission standard for large vans and lorries in light of [the] Ultra Low Emission Truck (ULET) standard, when available…in order to address concerns about consistency with national guidance.”, which will be welcome news for road transport fleet managers seeking to adopt plug-in hybrid or all-electric trucks. ELECTRIC/HYBRID TRUCKS > The future of UK clean air zones Until Covid-19 with its lockdowns and ensuing reductions in traffic pollution were added to local authorities’ equations, the UK looked like it was on a one-way trajectory with the inevitable roll-out of some kind of clean air zone in every city along with some towns and general conurbations. Back in July 2018, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) stated that “HGVs are an integral part of the economy at a national, regional and local level. Currently, there are no commercially or operationally viable alternatives to diesel in terms of HGV motive power. Over 90% of everything the public eat, drink, wear and build with travels on an HGV at some point in the supply chain.” Humbling words, with the latter part of the quote still ringing true, but it’s fair to say that plug-in hybrid, hydrogen and EV trucks development has progressed considerably since them, presenting alternative fuels for transport managers to consider. A lot of the body’s ‘Clean Air Zones and HGVs’ factsheet26 (which was jointly promoted by the BVRLA27) is now outdated in terms of retrofitting, technologies and policies, but the RHA’s view that “trucks are not the only source of NOx and hauliers should not be asked to bear the greatest burden in reducing emissions” certainly sounds understandable. We would also agree that HGVs shouldn’t appear to be primarily targeted by any city’s CAZ. Taxis and other older diesel vehicles do indeed contribute significantly towards air pollution, whereas larger rigid trucks have payloads the equivalent of twenty vans’ worth so are relatively clean and ultimately take up less space on the road. Lancashire-based logistics and storage operator, the Barnes Group, asks “Do clean air zones have a future?” on its blog and fairly says that “the decision to implement Clean Air Zones is one not necessarily welcomed by the logistics industry, as these zones and subsequent charges could have a detrimental impact on services and the day-to-day running of logistics providers”. They argue that “longer driving routes mean more time on the roads and more emissions” if certain operators choose to avoid fines but rack up more miles as a result, and that “delayed service times could impact industries with a need for speed such as medical and groceries”, which sound like sensible reasonings. Interestingly, the Barnes Group’s article28 points to Southampton as a possible model for future CAZ adoption met with success, with initiatives such as freight consolidation reducing the number of HGV journeys into the city’s heart, while placing more attention on non-compliant taxis. Something undeniably needs to be done to make the world’s cities and towns cleaner for today and for future generations, and targets on a European and global level are to be embraced and worked towards as far as is feasible. Brexit in the UK’s case must not be used as an excuse to kick dealing with air pollution into the long grass, but conversely, hauliers and other businesses should be given more time to adapt their fleets in the face of substantial changes and expenses. Excitingly, car and truck manufacturers regularly announce strides in electrification, but such vehicles’ relatively more expensive purchase or leasing prices will always preclude a percentage of fleets and individuals alike. Recognising the vital role that logistics providers and other ‘key workers’ have always played, not just during the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s essential that clean air zones are implemented fairly over the coming months and years. BREXIT & LOGISTICS > © Tiger Trailers Limited 2020-2021. 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