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City of Edinburgh Council, Heriot-Watt University and Flexible Power Systems (FPS) have secured funding worth £1.6 million to investigate the benefits of wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging.

Wireless charging allows EVs to recharge while parked on charging pads instead of using cables that need to be manually plugged in by a driver.

In what is being claimed as the UK’s first wireless charging hub for light commercial vehicles (LCVs), devices will be installed at Heriot Watt University’s Edinburgh campus in early 2021 to service specially adapted vans from both City of Edinburgh Council and Heriot-Watt’s fleet.

The technology has already been proven for mass transit applications and will be supplied by specialist firm, Momentum Dynamics.

The project is being funded by the Office for Low-Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and delivered through Innovate UK.

A similar six-month trial of wireless charging technology for electric taxis in Nottingham was announced by the Government at the start of the year.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said that the £3.4m scheme could pave the way for a revolution in EV charging.

This latest project aims to accelerate the transition to EV in commercial vehicle fleets by reducing the cost of charging the vans.

The project team says that high-powered wireless electric vehicle charging is expected to have considerable benefits for commercial vehicle users, including: faster starts to charging sessions with no downtime for plugging in to improve vehicle use and create bigger benefits from opportunity charging sessions; no cables to cause trip hazards or require maintenance; and future proofing for the advent of autonomous vehicles (which will not have a driver to plug them in).

The project ultimately aims to apply wireless charging to shared logistics hubs where fulfilment functions can be combined with charging.

Wireless charging technology will be applied to improve vehicle turnaround times and staff productivity at the hubs enhancing cost savings, it says

FPS’ managing director, Michael Ayres explained: “Productivity drivers and longer journeys mean commercial vehicles may need to charge away from the depot or at high speeds during the day.

“Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers required for a fast turnaround make up less than 25% of publicly available chargers and can be difficult to access if they are in use or out of service.”

High-power rapid chargers can be expensive both in terms of the chargers themselves and the electricity network infrastructure required to support them, says Ayres.

Sharing the cost of the charger and the connection through a shared charging hub can mitigate a portion of these costs.

He continued: “The project is testing sharing of the charging hubs between logistics, retailer, local government, and university owned commercial vehicles.

“These charging hubs require high use to be economically viable. The project uses powerful wireless charging to shorten the length of time vehicles need to be in the charging hubs.

“At the same time, we are investigating adding basic fulfilment capabilities to improve the productivity of logistics vehicles visiting the hubs.”

Professor Phil Greening, a co-director of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight, based at Heriot-Watt University added: “While highly utilised shared infrastructure and collaboration have great potential to reduce the costs of decarbonising road freight, there are complex scheduling and commercial trade-offs to be considered.

“The modelling tools and approaches developed in our Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded research at the Centre, combined with the collaboration we’ve undertaken with FPS over the last two years will both be key to untangling these challenges and making sure this potential is realised.”

The charging hub concept has the potential to contribute to decarbonising commercial vehicles in the City of Edinburgh.

City of Edinburgh Council’s transport and environment convener councillor, Lesley Macinnes, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Heriot-Watt University on this innovative project, helping to facilitate the use of electric vehicles across our fleet.

“We are committed to supporting the use of sustainable, low emission travel and continue to replace vehicles with cleaner models wherever possible.

“Our own Electric Vehicle Action Plan will result in a significant increase in charging points across the city which, alongside projects such as this, will help encourage the take-up of electric vehicles as a low carbon, environmentally-friendly transport choice.”

Scott Millar, fleet and workshops Manager for The City of Edinburgh Council, added: “We are already deploying electric vehicles across our fleet and we’re looking at ways we can drive adoption in the wider community.

“Providing charging infrastructure like shared hubs has the potential to play a key part of removing barriers to uptake for both the council and the community.

“We’re excited to take a leadership role here as a successful project in Edinburgh could present a model for other councils to use to reduce transport emissions in cities.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

IAM RoadSmart is calling for clearer guidelines on the use of police technology to encourage use of mobile safety cameras and dash cams in prosecuting motorists using handheld mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts.

It found that nearly two thirds of police forces contacted were not using mobile safety cameras to prosecute motorists spotted committing these offences, as they incorrectly thought it was illegal. Unbelievable!

The road safety charity believes the inconstancy is encouraging motorists to flout the law and has highlighted the issue as part of its response to the Department for Transport’s Roads Policing review.

Neil Greig, policy and research director at IAM RoadSmart, said: “Clearer guidelines must be created so that police forces can be confident that they can enforce laws with the equipment available to them today – laws which were specifically designed to reduce the number of road casualties.

“Our research showed that the use of mobile safety cameras to pursue phone users and seatbelt offenders varies from one force to another. What we need are clear and consistent guidelines on what the cameras can be used for, what training staff need and how the images can be used as evidence.

Stiffer penalties are only part of the enforcement jigsaw and fear of being caught must be increased so that resources are not wasted, or drivers think they can get away with flouting the law.”

The findings, which came from a Freedom of Information request, revealed that out of the 44 police forces, only 16 of them used images from the cameras to pursue these offences as a matter of routine, with a further four doing so occasionally.

In addition, not all forces have adopted ‘Operation Snap’, which seeks to integrate dash cam footage into the prosecution system.

With 70% of drivers thinking mobile phone use behind the wheel has got worse in the last three years and 90% seeing it as a threat to their personal safety, IAM RoadSmart believes more must be done to utilise available technologies to improve road safety and reduce the number of road casualties.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.

Used car values dipped by 2.1% in October – the first fall since March – and look set to fall further, while wholesale sold prices fell across the board, according to new data from at Cap HPI.

It says that there has been a drop off in trade demand, with buyers becoming more reluctant to pay high prices for used stock.

“The market appears to now be undergoing some realignment,” explained Derren Martin, head of valuations UK at Cap HPI.

“There are several factors at play. Values do tend to drop in the final quarter of the year, by varying degrees, as demand drops away in the run-up to Christmas and supply levels usually increase.

“We do appear to be experiencing that drop off in trade demand, but it is exacerbated this year by economic uncertainty, high prices and reasonable predictions that the consumer appetite for used cars that has driven up prices cannot last forever.”

Both city cars and superminis have seen the most increases over the last few months but experienced above-average falls in October.

City cars reduced by an average of 2.9% (£150) at the three-year point, with larger drops for the Citroen C1, Skoda Citigo, Vauxhall Viva and Volkswagen Up.

Superminis reduced by 2.5% (£200) in October, with some of the most heavily affected at the three-year age being the Ford Fiesta, Hyundai i20 and Kia Rio.

Younger used cars were less affected by a pricing move, with franchise dealers switching customers from new to used when availability was an issue.

All other mainstream sectors experienced a downturn in values, with lower medium (C-sector) cars, the next most heavily affected.

SUVs, although still dropping in price, have held up slightly better than most, despite being almost one-third of wholesale volume now.

Large SUV models have performed the best in terms of price, moving down in value overall by just 0.5% (£150) at three-years-old.

Volumes seem to have been steady, and manufacturers have continued to steer these vehicles back into their dealer network whenever they can, particularly if volumes are low, says Cap HPI.

The supply of electric vehicles being offered in the used wholesale market continues to grow; year-to-date disposal volumes have increased by around 20% over the same period last year.

While there is no doubt that there is a demand for used EVs, Cap HPI says that an increase in supply and the premium they attract over a petrol or diesel vehicle still acts as a barrier to the mass market. 

Martin concluded: “2020 has been completely different from any other year in history and that includes what has happened to values of used cars, rising against all expectations.

“It is particularly difficult to predict what may happen, with so much uncertainty due to localised lockdowns – whether or not car retailers can sell and deliver cars in Wales remains a grey area at the time of writing.

“Whilst trade volumes are not as high as in previous years due to lower than normal registration volumes, and leased vehicles are still on extensions, plus new car supply issues, it is still highly unlikely that demand for wholesale stock will overtake supply for the remainder of the year.

“As a result, with values remaining higher than they were a year ago, by over five per cent on average despite the recent Live drops, we are forecasting that values will continue to drop in November.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Manufacturers are warning leasing companies that they cannot guarantee company car prices beyond the end of the year, even for some models being ordered now.

In letters sent to vehicle lease provides by major carmakers, including BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz, they say that the threat of a ‘no deal’ Brexit is to blame for the potential price hike.

If no deal is reached and ratified before December 31, World Trade Organisation (WTO) non-preferential rules, including a 10% tariff on cars and up to 22% on vans and trucks would apply.

That would equate to a price increase of almost £3,000 on the average UK exported car to the EU, a £2,000 price increase on UK vans exported to the EU and a price increase of £1,800 on cars and vans imported from the EU, if fully passed on to UK consumers, according to UK Automotive Trade Report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

It adds that additional customs duties, costs and complexity would significantly disrupt sourcing of parts and components from the EU.

A price hike could see rentals increased and result in company car drivers paying more in benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax thanks to higher P11d prices.

Mercedes-Benz says in a letter sent to leasing companies, that it will guarantee the prices of all Mercedes-Benz and Smart cars ordered before Saturday (October 31), that have a quoted UK delivery date on its ordering system prior to December 31, regardless of its arrival date into the UK.

Mercedes-Benz said: “Should a customs duty tariff become applicable on cars imported into the UK after leaving the EU Customs Union and Single Market, we would look to increase the price of our cars accordingly, to offset the amount of the tariff (unless covered by the stated price protection).

“The increase would be applicable to all vehicles and factory fitted options, whether marked sold or unsold and regardless of the order, allocation date or sales channel. This would potentially vary model by model.”

BMW issued its warning a few weeks before MB, saying that “unless there is a free trade agreement with the EU, additional customs duties are likely to be applied to BMW and MINI vehicles imported into the UK”.

“This means that any vehicles which are delivered into the UK on or after January 1, 2021, regardless of date ordered, may have additional customs duties imposed on them,” it said.

“Should there be a no-deal Brexit, BMW UK will provide details of the implications of that including any price changes for vehicles as soon as possible.”

It added that “orders must be confirmed within the BMW Retailer ordering system on, or before December 31 to receive price protection against the economic price increase”.

“Any unfilled orders will be highlighted to you by the supplying retailer or leasing company and will not be price protected. Economic price protection does not include the potential additional customs duties.”

It was similar warning from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which said it is “not in a position to guarantee pricing for vehicles that are registered after December 31”.

All vehicles, regardless of build location, it says may be subject to a price increase when registered from January 1, 2021.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen Group in a letter sent to leasing companies, on behalf of its VW, Audi, Seat, VW Commercial Vehicles and Skoda brands, says it is closely monitoring developments surrounding the UK’s transitional period.

As part of its preparations, it says that it has established an understanding of all Brexit eventualities and is “confident” of its readiness.

Actions it has taken include: obtaining an EORI number (used for customs declarations); optimising stock availability to mitigate the risk of supply constraints; appointing customs agents allowing it to import cars and parts into the UK in line with HMRC regulations; and implementing and tested required systems changes.

It adds that in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit, the “application of import tariffs and/or increases to prices are required, then we will communicate our plans to deal with this as quickly as possible”.

“In the meantime, we reserve the right to amend the price/discount of vehicles at any time if a change to regulation, legislation, application of tariffs, duties, taxes or other charge/event causes an increase to the costs of supply of vehicles,” it said.

Trade talks between the EU and the UK Government are ongoing.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said the extended talks were “a very good sign” a deal can be done.

But he told the BBC: “We have got to make sure it is a deal that works, not just for our partners in Europe… but one that works for the United Kingdom.”

The two sides are thought to be working on legal texts, but Whitehall sources have indicated major sticking points – like fishing rights and competition rules – remain unresolved.

The UK left the EU on January 31 but has been in a transition period – continuing to follow EU rules and pay into the bloc – while the two sides try to agree a post-Brexit trade agreement.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Police forces and safer roads partnerships are being urged to adopt a new speed camera enforcement strategy to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on UK roads.

Road Safety Support has released, ‘Enforcement Strategy – Raising the Game’, a report which calls for forces to leave traditional camera enforcement behind and introduce a new wide-area, ‘flexible’ approach to speed camera operations.

Provisional data shows that road deaths in the UK were higher in 2019, than in 2010.

There were 1,721 reported road deaths in 2019, similar to levels seen in 2012, data from the Department for Transport (DfT) shows.

Road Safety Support says the report highlights the complacency among drivers in relation to speed camera use and urges forces to adopt a new approach to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured.

It recommends a step change to increase the perception of speed camera detection to encourage motorists to drive more carefully on all roads, not just where they expect to see a camera.

Mobile speed camera vans should be used to support traditional road policing efforts, because they can detect offences over a larger range and can be moved around frequently, the report states.

Detective chief superintendent, Andy Cox, of Lincolnshire Police and national lead for fatal collision investigation reporting to the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC), said he backs the report.

He said: “Speeding remains the biggest risk to road safety and should be the number one focus and priority for traffic enforcement.

“I would urge all forces to download this report, if they haven’t already done so, and follow the recommendations in it in relation to enforcement and communications.

“I urge people to drive within the speed limit, stay safe and keep a clean licence. I thank most lawful road users who are doing so.”

Trevor Hall, managing director of Road Safety Support, said: “Police forces and safer roads partnerships have very effective technology at their fingertips that we know reduces casualties; we have the evidence.

“We just need to adopt a new strategy to use it more efficiently and, through regular, proactive communications, help the public to understand that if they speed or commit other offences on the roads, there is every chance that they will be caught.”

Police forces in Northumbria, Essex, Wales and North Yorkshire have made changes to their enforcement strategies based on the recommendations in the ‘Raising the Game’ report.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A man who fraudulently bought £27,000 of fuel in eight months using a company fuel card has been given an 18-month suspended jail sentence.

Steven Green, 45, began working as a driver for a shed company in Wisbech in July 2018 and was given a company fuel card.

A month later, in August 2018, his employment was terminated, but Green kept the fuel card and then purchased £27,268 worth of fuel between September 2018 and April 2019.

Company bosses noticed the large amount after reviewing the card balances in April last year.

Police investigating the incident established that Green was the person behind the purchases.

Officers from Norfolk Constabulary also confirmed they had done a stop check on Green in their area in January 2019 and reported he had a number of empty 25 litre containers in his vehicle.

During the investigation it emerged that Green had attempted to purchased a final £255 worth of fuel, but when the card was declined he left without paying.

Green pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and making off without payment.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday October 19.

He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and 50 days rehabilitation activity requirement.

Detective Constable, Ahmed Ishaq, who investigated, told the Peterborough Telegraph: “It’s clear Green thought he could get away with using the fuel card and nothing was going to stop him until the company cancelled the card.

“He has defrauded the company out of a substantial amount of money and I am glad justice has been done.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government wants to close a loophole in the law around the use of hand-held mobile phones behind the wheel.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere unveiled plans over the weekend that would mean people using a hand-held mobile phone in all circumstances while driving would be breaking the law.

It is already a criminal offence to use a hand-held mobile phone to call or text while driving, but not for other actions such as taking photos.

The law says that an offence is committed if a driver uses a handheld mobile phone for “interactive telecommunication” while behind the wheel.

The phrase reflects how, when the law was written in 2003, smartphones were not in existence and mobile devices were used for sending texts or making calls.

It has enabled lawyers to successfully argue that using a phone’s camera while driving does not constitute “interactive telecommunication”.

It was brought to a head last year, after the Director of Public Prosecutions had lodged an appeal with the High Court after Ramsey Barreto had a conviction quashed for filming a crash on his mobile phone.

The 51-year-old was prosecuted and found guilty after police saw him driving past an accident using his phone to make a video. However, he had the conviction overturned at Isleworth Crown Court, after his lawyers successfully argued that the law only banned the use of mobile phones to speak or communicate while behind the wheel.

Publishing its decision in July 2019, the High Court dismissed the appeal, agreeing with Barreto’s lawyers.

Now, following a review of the offence announced in the wake of the appeal, a consultation has been launched on bringing the law into line with modern technology – meaning drivers caught taking photos, playing games or scrolling through a playlist behind the wheel will be clearly breaking the law on mobile phone use.

However, recognising that mobile phones are commonly used as a method of payment – such as at drive-thrus – an exemption will apply to contactless payments, if a vehicle is stationary, and if goods or services – such as a takeaway meal – are delivered immediately.

Roads minister Baroness Vere said: “We’re looking to strengthen the law to make using a hand-held phone while driving illegal in a wider range of circumstances – it’s distracting and dangerous and for too long risky drivers have been able to escape punishment but this update will mean those doing the wrong thing will face the full force of the law.

“Ministers have rejected calls to go further by banning the use of hands-free functions – drivers will still be able to continue safely using devices ‘hands-free’ while driving, such as a sat-nav secured in a cradle.”

The proposals come as new research published by the Government gives a further snapshot into driver behaviour in the UK.

The project, commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) and carried out by the University of Leeds, looked at footage of 51 drivers and found over 765 trips, 662 mobile phone interactions were observed with only 38 completely hands-free.

At 30mph, a car travels 100 feet in 2.3 seconds – meaning even a split-second lapse from changing a song on a playlist or checking an app could result in a crash.

By updating the law, police powers will be bolstered to tackle this behaviour even further – ensuring they can take immediate action if they see a driver holding and using their phone at the wheel, says the DfT.

The penalties in place for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving are six penalty points and a £200 fine.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing, Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, said: “Using a mobile phone while driving is incredibly dangerous and being distracted at the wheel can change lives forever.

“Police will take robust action against those using a hand-held mobile phone illegally and proposals to make the law clearer are welcome.”

The Government is also conducting a review of road traffic policing and wider traffic enforcement – to look at how roads policing currently works, its effectiveness, and where improvements could be made.

Road safety charity, Brake has welcomed the Government’s move to consult on and improve the offence of driving while using a hand-held mobile device, and close potential loopholes, but still wants to see the dangers of hands-free devices addressed.

The safety campaigners are highlighting last year’s Transport Select Committee report on mobile phone use when driving, which found that: “The evidence shows that using a hands-free device  creates  the  same  risks  of  a  collision  as  using  a  hand-held  device,  and  it  is  therefore  inappropriate  for  the  law  to  condone  it  by  omission.”

The Government response to the Select Committee report did not dispute the evidence, stating “The  Government  acknowledges  the  risks  associated  with  the  use  of  hands-free  mobile  phones while driving” but went on to note that, “However, despite those risks, there are many difficulties associated with a potential ban on hands-free use.” 

Director of campaigns for Brake, Joshua Harris, said: “When amending the law on phone use when driving, the Government must also take the opportunity to prohibit the use of hands-free devices.

“The current law gives the impression that it is safe to use a mobile phone with a hands-free kit when the evidence is clear that it is not.

“Banning hands-free devices may be challenging but we urge the Government to prioritise the lives of road users and take action now.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government has set out tough carbon emissions targets for carmakers after a warning a lack of legislation could threaten electric vehicle (EV) supply in 2021.

Environmental campaign group Transport and Environment (T&E) claimed that the UK could face long lead times for EV orders in 2021, with manufacturers having to meet targets to reduce the average emissions of the cars they sell in Europe or pay fines.

However, the Department for Transport (DfT) has now tabled similar regulations for manufacturers from January 1, 2021.

Currently, the European Commission sets an EU fleet average target that must be met by the EU fleet.  For cars, this target is currently 95g/km in 2020. For vans, the target is 147g/km in 2020.

These targets will be converted into WLTP CO2 emissions targets in 2021 following the change in the vehicle CO2 test procedure, and the 2021 actual emissions will represent the new baseline.

Manufacturers will then have to meet a 15% reduction for cars and vans by 2025, and a 37.5% reduction for cars and a 31% reduction for vans by 2030, both against this 2021 baseline.

From these, manufacturers receive individual targets that are set according to the mass of their fleet. Manufacturers with heavier fleets receive individual targets above the EU target; manufacturers with lighter fleets receive targets below the EU target.

Manufacturers will be fined for missing their targets.

The new UK rules will mirror those in the EU, including fine an £86 fine for each g/km above the target multiplied by the number of vehicles registered in the year.

Manufacturers currently balance the CO2 emissions of new vehicles sold across the 28 individual EU markets to deliver compliance. They often offset sales of higher emitting vehicles in one market against sales of lower emitting vehicles in another.

Post-transition period, manufacturers will not be able to meet UK targets using sales in the EU27.

The Government launched a consultation in the summer on how it would adopt EU emissions targets for cars, vans and HGVs in January 2021.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Drivers want tougher sentences for those that cause death by dangerous driving, with two in five (40%) backing the ‘Violet-Grace Law’ amendment.

A majority of drivers – some two thirds – also believe the current 14-year maximum is insufficient, according to new research from the RAC.

On the day a Private Members’ Bill aimed at tackling the issue is scheduled to have its second reading in Parliament, the research carried out with 2,800 drivers found that a quarter (25%) believe maximum sentences should be increased to somewhere between 15 years and a life sentence, from the present maximum of 14 years.

But 40% think courts should be able to go further and hand down a life sentence if they deem it appropriate. Just 16% felt the current maximum term is sufficient, while 18% were unsure whether it should be changed.

In July, former Prime Minister and Home Secretary Theresa May introduced a Bill seeking to amend The Road Traffic Offenders Act, which currently dates from 1988, and to increase courts’ abilities to issue much tougher sentences.

The amendment has come to be known as the ‘Violet-Grace Law’, in memory of a four-year-old child who was killed by a motorist driving at over 80mph in a 30mph zone in 2017.

The driver was jailed for nine years and four months in 2017 but may be released as early as next year.

RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams says drivers are “crystal clear” that the current maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is insufficient.

In the year to March 2020, police forces in England and Wales recorded 555 cases of death or serious injury caused by dangerous driving.

While this was seven fewer cases than a year earlier, the general trend since 2008 has been for an increase in cases across both countries.

Williams continued: “While Britain might have some of the safest roads in Europe, it is an horrendous thought that each year more than 500 drivers in England and Wales are convicted of killing others as a result of their decision to drive dangerously.

“Permitting courts to issue much tougher sentences will send a strong message to motorists and will go some way towards reassuring families of victims killed in collisions that the law is on their side.”

The Government announced its intention to introduce stronger sentences several years ago, but little progress has been made, according to Williams.

“That’s why this Bill is so important – we may still be some way off the Violet-Grace amendment being made, but many people up and down the country will be interested to see the progress that it makes in the hope that one day soon those convicted of these truly terrible crimes will have to spend much longer behind bars,” he said.

Scheduled today is the second reading of Theresa May MP’s ‘Death by Dangerous Driving (Sentencing) Bill 2019-21’, which may be debated in the House of Commons. To track the progress of the Bill, visit the Parliament.uk website.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The clean air zone (CAZ) in Leeds is no longer required after fleets switched to cleaner vehicles faster than expected, a joint review by Leeds City Council and Government has found.

The decision comes as Bath and Birmingham announced plans to forge ahead with their charging CAZs.

Birmingham’s CAZ will start from June 1, 2021, while Bath will start charging non-compliant vehicles from March 15, 2021.

Leeds City Council suspended the introduction of its CAZ in August, while it re-assessed the air quality issues in the city.

It found that more than 90% of buses and 80% of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) driven in the city now use cleaner Euro VI engines and therefore wouldn’t be charged if a zone was introduced.

Research shows that the newer vehicles emit significantly fewer emissions than older models, especially when travelling at the slower speeds often travelled in urban environments.

Nearly half of the city’s licensed taxi and private hire cars are also now hybrid or electric.

The review found that, because of the dramatic shift to cleaner vehicles, air pollution in Leeds on key routes is below legal limits and is not likely to exceed them again—even if traffic were to return to ‘normal’ levels or slightly higher.

Transport infrastructure improvements and the surging popularity of ultra-low emission vehicles in Leeds are further accelerating improvements to the city’s air quality, it said.

City asks to keep CAZ funding

The council has written to the Government requesting to keep £6.9 million of CAZ funding that Leeds had previously secured to ‘lock in’ the full extent of air quality improvements.

The money would be used to continue offering grants to help local businesses switch to cleaner vehicles as well as to provide free licensing costs to drivers of less polluting taxi and private hire cars.

Leeds will also be able to keep and repurpose the ANPR camera infrastructure that had been installed to monitor and enforce the zone.

In the unlikely event that air quality declined for any reason, the council retains this infrastructure and says it could seek support from central Government to introduce a CAZ.

As part of an updated air quality strategy being brought forward early next year, Leeds City Council is also proposing to voluntarily introduce stricter new targets for local air quality that are aligned with World Health Organisation guidelines.

Councillor James Lewis, deputy leader for Leeds City Council and executive board member with responsibility for air quality, said: “Thanks to our city’s collective effort, Leeds residents are breathing air that is cleaner and safer than ever before.

“When we consulted on the CAZ in 2018, we said that we hoped that no one would be charged because businesses would switch to less-polluting vehicles before the charging system takes effect. That is exactly what has happened.

“We have achieved the aims of the clean air zone without having to charge a single vehicle.

“If Leeds were to introduce a CAZ today, only a fraction of vehicles would be affected because the vast majority of businesses are now driving cleaner vehicles than they were just a few years ago.

“Not out of the woods yet”

However, Andrea Lee, clean air campaigns manager at environmental law charity ClientEarth, insisted that Leeds is “not out of the woods yet” and accused the council of “abandoning the one measure guaranteed to protect people in the shortest possible time”.

“While the promise of a clean air zone has prompted drivers and businesses to switch to cleaner vehicles, the latest reported air pollution measurements from the council still show that parts of the city are over national air quality standards,” she added.

“With Covid-19 endangering people’s respiratory health, rowing back on a measure that has been proven to reduce pollution seems not only illogical but reckless – leaving Leeds unprotected as other cities implement their own clean air zones.” 

Senior councillors will discuss the conclusions and proposals to voluntarily introduce new air quality targets that go further than the national standards at a meeting of the council’s executive board next week.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News