Van buyers rush to beat LEZ fines
Page 44
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Van buyers have been snapping up older and high mileage vehicles to avoid being fined following changes to the London LEZ
Words: Kevin Swallow
JUST DAYS after changes to the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) came into force used van buyers have been snapping up anything cheap and legal to avoid being fined, says Shoreham Vehicle Auction VID Alex Wright.
Vans registered after 1 January 2002 that meet Euro-3 standards are proving popular regardless of condition. Wright says buyers are seeking cheap 05 to 07plate vans and younger vans with high mileage or in poor condition, which has raised prices. “An 05-plate damaged Transit Connect T260 or Vauxhall Combo that would’ve been worth £1,200 five months ago is selling for £1,500,” he says. “These buyers are small firms who aren’t high mileage users and who can’t or don’t want to get finance. [They’re buying] the cheapest vehicle possible to avoid being penalised, which is a U-turn in the buying patterns predicted by the industry.”
Traders and franchised dealers who stocked up on fourto six-year-old vans ahead of the LEZ change are now putting lower-priced vehicles on the forecourt. ■