Vehicles that have a confirmed booking with a Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS)-approved retrofit solution to allow them to comply with London’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) will receive a three-month grace period.
That will allow them to be driven in the LEZ without attracting a charge for non-compliance. The three-month period begins from the date that Transport for London (TfL) receives notification from the retrofit equipment manufacturer and the vehicle record is updated.
Vehicle checker will show compliance during LEZ grace period
During the grace period TfL’s vehicle checker tool will show the vehicle as compliant. It could take up to seven days after the booking is confirmed for a record to be updated. If it is still not the case by when that time has elapsed, operators are advised to check with the retrofit equipment manufacturer that the booking has been correctly forwarded to TfL.
Until the vehicle checker show that the vehicle concerned is compliant, any LEZ daily charges accrued must be paid.
The grace period ends either after three months or when TfL is notified by CVRAS that the vehicle has been treated and complied with LEZ standards, whichever is sooner. It runs until 28 February 2022.
LEZ standards tighten to Euro VI from 1 March
LEZ standards for coaches, buses and minibuses with a GVW of over 5,000kg will be tightened to Euro VI from 1 March.
As of that date, Euro IV and Euro V examples will be charged £100 per day to enter the LEZ. Those that do not satisfy Euro IV will be charged £300 per day. No additional charge will be necessary to enter the Ultra Low Emission Zone.
A report to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in June 2018 shows that the Confederation of Passenger Transport, the London Tourist Coach Operators Association (now the UK Coach Operators Association) and RHA were among bodies to have called for a grace period where retrofit equipment had been ordered but could not be installed in time for tightened regulations. Their concerns were based around the availability of such solutions.
