I am all for clean air [zones], but I think that certain cities are using it as a stealth tax.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Kahn, has bought the programme forward for Euro 6, which is fine providing it is Euro 6 and not a way to put a tariff on and collect penalties from drivers; this is not what the clean air [zone] is all about.
It is being marketed as a life-threatening problem in our cities, so does taking a £200 fee reduce this risk or just swell the coffers of the cities concerned?
We know there is technology out there available to upgrade polluting vehicles, but Brexit government establishments are coming up with unfounded reasons to obstruct retrofitting to vehicles.
Coach operators are struggling enough without the added uncertainty of how they are going to operate their fleet after March 2019.
It will take a government years to put in a programme of upgrades etc. and finance it – why do they expect coach operators to do it in a matter of months?
Bob Turnock
Managing Director
RWT Commercial Services
