Unfair playing field
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For anyone who has forked out for a Euro-4 (and above) truck to comply with London’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ), reaction to the discovery that foreign trucks owe £6.2m in unpaid fines for breaches of the zone’s rules (see p6) will range from galling to really bloody annoying.
CM does not want to tar all foreign operators with the same brush as irresponsible operators of CVs as there are many that do obey the law. But the figures speak for themselves: there were more fines issued and more unpaid fines outstanding for breaches to the LEZ in the past 18 months for foreign operators than UK operators.
Transport for London knows it faces an uphill battle and admits it is doing all it can to recoup money owed. But, sadly for UK operators who have to deliver into the capital, it is not enough. The level of outstanding fines proves that UK operators do not operate on a level playing field with their Continental peers. Freight Transport Association research found that £1,000 of diesel bought in Europe will take an HGV 280 miles further than one that filled up in the UK (because of the tax take). So a foreign truck can drive further for cheaper, and if it gets fined for breaching law that protects air quality in London, it can ignore the money it owes, go home and continue without fear of reprisal.
European law should address the need for an EU-wide operator database so fine collection can be standardised and improved. This is why CM is disappointed that Brian Simpson MEP, chairman of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, did not respond to our findings. Action needs to be taken to make British hauliers competitive again. Christopher Walton