Plan to introduce village LEZ fundamentally flawed FTA
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Chris Tindau
COUNCILLORS ARE considering introducing a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in a Sussex village in an effort to stop LGVs contributing to high volumes of through traffic.
However, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has said Horsham District Council's plan for the village of Storrington is fundamentally flawed. Following a public consultation
in February the council said that feedback from the residents of Storrington was strongly in support of a total LGV ban.
However, it added: "This option is proving challenging for Horsham District Council's partners on enforcement grounds.
"A partial ban on the most polluting LGVs may be possible through the introduction of a Low Emission Zone in Storrington." Natalie Chapman, the FTA's head of policy for London and the
South East, said the association was not aware of the consultation and added: "Storrington may have had an issue with routeing; if that's a problem we can look at that.
"But if they are looking at air quality, really they need to understand what is contributing what.
"It's very easy for residents who want to see fewer lorries in their area to say this is a good idea. It could be that local businesses are severely harmed by this. "They are taking perception and
opinion for the basis of introducing an LEZ and that's fundamentally flawed."
Horsham councillor Sue Rogers said: "Air pollution in Storrington is predominantly related to the high volumes of through traffic and we continue to work in partnership with West Sussex County Council and Sussex Police to look at ways of dealing with this."