Tuesday, December 13 2011
New laws coming into effect in 2012 will see a significant amount of van drivers being hit by the Low Emission Zone charges when driving in London. The LEZ could affect at least 30% of vans, incurring fines of up to £100 per day for the unlucky drivers.
Van exempt from the charges will be those with engines which comply with new emissions standards, as set out by Euro 3. Drivers with older van models are strongly urged to upgrade their vehicles to those which meet the 2012 criteria, and in doing so are reminded that newer models will be significantly more fuel efficient- and therefore be financially beneficial in the long-run.
Ford has provided its own solution to the LEZ issues. In response to news that January 2012 will see the implication of London LEZ zones and subsequent charges, Ford has established a Commercial Vehicle Programme. This programme helps those with vans over a decade old by offering discounts on new range Ford vans (which are exempt from LEZ charges) when old vans are exchanged in a scrap support scheme.