iring could get round ban
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?ERATORS which lack ry ban exemption agreenits with the Greater Lonn Council should be able to around the proposed ban hiring vehicles covered by 7mits, the GLC has said. Following inquiries from e and rental specialists, the
has just issued a .ective on hired vehicles. It ,s that the vehicle's owner, t the hirer, must apply for )ermit if the vehicle is over 5 tonnes and wishes to :ex London at night or !ekencls.
This applies to contract hire d leased vehicles too. "We 11 be looking for the regisred owner," a GLC -akesman said.
lie GLC says this rule is nple and avoids the need third party agreements. ablems of short notice hir; will also be eradicated, A the fitting of hush-kits, if :essary, will be the respondity of the vehicle owner, t the hirer.
"It is anticipated that hire and rental specialists will seek permits for all or much of their fleet," the directive concludes.
Two leading rental companies, BRS and Ryder Truck Rental, both told CM that they believed, at this stage, that many of their vehicles could face the £400 bill for a hush-kit, as well as the loss caused by downtime.
But they declined to say what effect if might have on hiring rates. Ryder assessed that in its North London area alone it could cost around £60,0 0 0 to have its 1 0 7 vehicles over 16.5 tonnes fitted with hush-kits — including around one-and-a-half days lost in downtime.
The Freight Transport Association attacked the GLC for introducing another late complication to the ban. And while the GLC argues that the hired vehicles policy will only cause a minimal loss in environmental benefit, the FTA says that it will do little for Londoners.