If you work in, or indeed ever drive into, London, then you need to pay attention to another shake-up to driving standards in the capital which came into force today.
From this point onwards, vehicles driving through the centre of the capital are required to meet minimum exhaust emission standards or risk a £10 emissions fee – known as the Toxicity Charge, or T-charge. This will be on top of the daily congestion charge. As a result, from 7am-6pm Monday-Friday it will now cost businesses £21.50 to drive each of their Euro-4 vehicles – typically diesel and petrol models registered before 2006 - into London.
It is predicted that the changes will impact around 10,000 pre-2006 vehicles – and speculation is mounting that other cities, including the likes of Southampton, Derby, Nottingham, Leeds and Birmingham, may soon follow London’s lead.
As a result, the AA is calling for increased support for SME customers – particularly in the push towards electrification and in adjusting their long-term fleet strategy. This will also mean reviewing their insurance options and finding suitable options.
“As emissions reduction becomes a focus for the UK’s large cities, businesses are under pressure to futureproof their fleets to ensure they comply with any future targets,” said Stuart Thomas, head of fleet services and SME at the AA. “Fleet managers feel required to investigate alternative fuel sources, but they may not have enough information to make strategic decisions, or feel supported by the industry to take an informed step forward.
“Small businesses which will be affected are likely to be hit hard by the introduction of the T-charge, which almost doubles the cost of driving a vehicle through London during peak hours. Fleets are the backbone of British business, and need more guidance to help them to make the most of the upcoming EV revolution.”
Businesses can use the
T-charge checker developed by Transport for London (TfL) to check how they will be affected.
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