Recent weeks have seen clear blue skies and sunshine in many parts.
Yet sitting silently, often unnoticed on many streets, automatic air pollution monitors record that all is not as healthy as the blue skies might suggest.
The UK remains in breach of agreed European air quality limits and unless it wishes to pay large fines, the government must put in effective plans to deliver cleaner air in a reasonable timeframe.
The result is that up to 30 towns and cities have until December to deliver these plans to the government. For some, the solution is to introduce a Clean Air Zone (CAZ).
This week, Birmingham, Leeds, Southampton and York are starting to receive responses to consultations on their proposed CAZs, and you also have the opportunity to have your say (see p14).
The topic is controversial and given that PSVs have longer service lives by dint of their high purchase price and low mileage, compared with trucks, replacement is not easy.
Retrofit may be an option but, as we have previously reported, for coaches there is yet to be an off-the-shelf system that you can buy and have fitted tomorrow that will be instantly compliant.
Only you know what your business case would be, and the likely impact on those people most affected – such as school educational visits to museums or science centres – such as Birmingham’s Thinktank.
Now’s your chance to have your say. Don’t miss it.
