Fleets Unprepared for ULEZ Expansion
The Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) is expanding in London this week. But there has been a lack of preparation among some fleets ahead of the change.
According to the study from Enterprise, 2 in 5 drivers are unaware of the ULEZ expansion. The expansion kicked in on Monday 25th Oct and is 18 times larger than the original zone covered. The new zone will cover up to the North Circular Road (A406) and South Circular Road (A205). The aim of the areas is to reduce pollution in highly populated areas. Transport for London (TfL) says that lower emission zones have helped to almost halve roadside concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
How are fleets tackling this?
76% of the 2000 drivers surveyed said these zones would affect them. According to TfL the expansion will affect 35,000 vehicles every day. But according to the same study by Enterprise, 18% of van owners say they don’t have a plan to tackle low emission zones. 20% of van owners plan to avoid the charges by avoiding the zones altogether.
What are the charges?
10% of drivers owned vans that were more than 15 years old. Vehicles of this age are unlikely to meet Euro 6 emissions standards. This makes them more likely to face charges or fines when entering these low emissions zones.
The study also found that Clean Air Zones (CAZ) will affect 16% of drivers on a daily basis.
Currently, London’s ULEZ charge is £12.50 a day for cars and £100 a day for larger vehicles. The fine for not paying the charge is £160. But charges for entering a CAZ or low emission zones vary across the country. The average fine for driving into a zone without paying the relevant charge is currently £120. But if paid with 14 days the fine is £60.
Comment
Vice president of mobility at Enterprise, Ben Lawson said:
“While the costs associated with entering a clean air or low emission zone can be charged to the business, it will increase operational expenses. Planning ahead is vital, as it will help businesses identify where they will need to drive into one of these zones and how best to address the charges.”
How can we help?
Our cutting edge telematics can help your fleet avoid unnecessary charges and cut excessive emissions. Using geofencing technology you can block your drivers from certain areas, including Clean Air Zones. Your fleet manager will receive text alerts if a driver does go into a charged zone, allowing you to pay the charge and avoid an unexpected fine. Using a cutting edge ranking system, our telematics solutions gamify your drivers’ behaviour. Scoring drivers based on their driving behaviour helps them reduce their idling time or over accelerating. This makes them much safer drivers and cuts down on excessive emissions.
Fleets Unprepared for ULEZ Expansion