Last year, the Mayor of London outlined a plan for London’s LEZ (Low Emissions Zone). The plan was derived after a study showing that the City of London has the worst air pollution in the UK and is among the worst in Europe.
This month, almost all of London will become a LEZ. The LEZ is a specified area where the most polluting diesel engined trucks, buses, coaches, large vans and minibuses will be required to meet specific emissions targets or pay a tariff/tax. The LEZ does not apply to cars or motorcycles.
How steep is the tariff? £200 (sadly, that translates these days to almost $400 US)
The measure will be enforced using cameras that will read license plates in the LEZ and check them against a database of registered vehicles that meet the emissions standards, have paid a daily charge, or are exempt. Those who are not in the database will have to pay the tariff.
While many are cheering the measure as a step forward, London Conservative mayoral candidate, Boris Johnson, has described the scheme as “the most punitive, draconian fining regime in the whole of Europe.”
What do you think? Would you like to see this scheme in more cities? Or a variation on this scheme? Many cities, such as Singapore, have similarly themed schemes to control congestion.
In 2005, when London adopted a “congestion tax”, traffic flow improved, congested dropped 30% and emissions were lowered. The Mayor of London told a group of American mayors, “We are the only city in the Western world where there’s a notable shift from car use to public transport. This is the only thing I’ve done in my political life that turned out better than I hoped.”
Drivers who enter central London must buy daily, weekly or yearly passes and register their license plate numbers. License plates within the zone are noted, and motorists who have not paid the fee are fined. The fines are only imposed during work hours.
Would this work anywhere else?
Actually it is not all dacronian. Hundred years ago, maybe as recent as 50 years ago, English society would make the changes requested by the government and explained properly. That was a period when the “Bobbie” was only armed with a whistle and nightstick. Todays generation must be pushed and prodded to even simple requests, like doing 45 in a 45 mph zone, no parking in “fire lane”, etc. People, for the most part, have to experience a little pain, be it only monetary to comply. Do large corporations (BP comes to mind) do the right thing for their workers safety and work conditions, or just eck by the law? Living in Singapore, I expereinced that “fine” city. Run a red light, expect a ticket in the mail. Drive in the CBD during posted rush hours, expect a ticket. Jay-walk, well, some how you must enforce pedestrians crossing at crosswalks, otherwise a jam and fatalities just letting folks cross the street wherever they wish. Singapore is not downtown Burgaw (local joke of a town).
So imposing fines for roving polluters, fix it, replace it, or be prepared to pay. Why should you breathe polluted air when you shouldn’t have to, and secondly, just because some lorry driver dude puffing on ciggie, talking on a cell phone, could care less? Apparently many folks do not recall the horrible killing smogs in London in the 1950’s. That was from coal burning, and the City of London cleaned it up. Diesel lorries and cars are just as polluting.