After reading the comments by Ben Plowden on tackling London’s air quality [routeone/1 March] it has taken me some time to digest the PR speak.
The whole introduction of the ULEZ is on the back of someone chasing a political agenda. The figures they are using are from 2013! That’s a year before Euro 6 came out, so naturally these figures would have reduced substantially since then.
However the mayor’s office does not seem to acknowledge that any reduction has taken place. In fact they only show the figures as a percentage, not a ‘real’ figure. If they produced this information I am sure that they would acknowledge a substantial reduction generically.
In 2013 public transport accounted for just 13% and HGV just 10% of pollution in London, yet these two industries are being persecuted. Aviation accounts for 8% alone and is not diminishing like road transport. The mayor’s office seems to be persecuting the road transport industry without looking at other avenues of pollution reduction.
Unfortunately no one has had the guts to mount any sort of opposition to the mayor and his whitewash of a plan. No thought has been given to the implementation of the regulations. In the summer, London needs around 2,000 coaches per day. It is not realistic or feasible to maintain this figure, and with the conversion costs being muted at around £12,000, exactly where is the money coming from for this?
And remember, black cabs have a dispensation until 2025 when they are responsible for a fifth of the nitrogen oxide fumes in London.
So before continued persecution of the motorist and transport industries, could Mr Plowden answer these questions and actually produce some real figures and accurate results?
Peter Lewis
Passenger Industry Logistical Consultant
