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Going green
Page 3
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It's ironic that in the week Commercial Motor launches its Little Green Truck initiative, which is supported by Michelin and Shell Lubricants, we should also be reporting on the plight of a small haulier facing difficulties in complying with the London Low-Emission Zone (LEZI. It's doubly ironic since the operator in question appears to have done all that's been asked of it, yet still faces the prospect of having to pay a costly £200 daily fine because it can't get its truck tested at a Vosa test station, thereby proving its compliance, until early April.
The fact that Transport for London (TfL) recently agreed to a 28-day 'period of grace for the LEZ's implementation proves that it was only too aware of the problem that operators faced in getting their equipment approved and certificated in time. And while we accept that a line must be drawn in the sand some time, it seems manifestly unfair that an operator who has apparently played the game and taken the steps to have compliant kit fitted, should then be told that it will still be fined up to the point at which that equipment is approved and certified, especially as it can't get it tested promptly, Meanwhile, TfLs alleged instruction to KJ Lowe Transport that it should pay the daily £200 fine and then claim it back shows a lamentable lack of understanding of the cash flow of small companies. If it does have to pay, and subsequently claims the money back when its equipment is approved, we'd hope that the accounts department of TfL would refund the money with appropriate alacrity.
But back to Little Green Truck (on page 38(. We hope CM's campaign not only raises our
readers awareness as to what they can do to reduce their environmental footprint, but
also, more importantly, nail the lie that truck operators don't care about the
environment. They do, and could do a Lot more if the Treasury provided the
same 'green' support as other EU countries folding green.