The Low Emission Zone in London

If you live within the low emission zone (LEZ) in London, you’re now going to have to choose the company you decide to use for your removals with a little more care. Moving can be quite a traumatic experience at the best of times, but now you will have to be aware of the environmental constraints too.

As part of the ongoing campaign to reduce emissions and improve the world’s environment, the European Parliament has issued the Euro 4 emissions standard which the City of London, (amongst other responsibly minded cities in the UK and throughout Europe), are going to adopt. The new framework has been issued prior to its enactment, in order to allow any companies that will be operating vehicles in London’s LEZ, time to get their vehicle fleets in order.

The LEZ scheme is actually targeted at PM (Particulate Matter), which is the official term given to the fine particles of soot that are emitted from motor vehicle exhausts. PM is injurious to health, affecting and exacerbating certain medical conditions including asthma, bronchitis, and other cardiovascular (heart and lung) illnesses. The previous LEZ controls that were first brought into effect in 2008 have already had a significant effect of the quality of London’s air, but the new EUR 4 standards raise the bar that much higher.

The new regulations are basically aimed at forcing transport operators to bring their vehicle fleets more up to date. Vehicle manufacturers themselves have tidied their act up considerably in recent years to ensure that their vehicles produce less PM. Large vans like the Iveco long wheelbase transit, are not only very flexible in terms of the payload they carry pro-rate to engine size, but their emissions are well within the new limits.

The new rules will impact on those less caring vehicle operators who are compromising the health of our city’s inhabitants through the greed of keeping old vans and lorries running, which are more heavily pollutant, just to avoid spending money on newer, cleaner vehicles. Luckily, not all vehicle operators take this view.

The fact that some of the more environmentally aware removals companies have already prepared their vehicle fleets to operate safely within the new criteria laid down by the revised LEZ rules, helps the consumer in more ways than one. Firstly, in terms of being green and environmentally friendly, the consumer can be proud that they are “doing their bit” towards looking after the environment, by appointing a removals company that will be contributing to improving the air quality in and around London. But as well as the green issue, consumers will be reaping another benefit which they will feel in their pockets, because the companies whose fleets have pre-qualified to operate legally within the LEZ, will not have to pay the new penalty fines that other non compliant vehicle operators will be liable for, and which would then inevitably be passed straight on to the client.

The benefits will also be passed on to anyone moving to or from abroad. By qualifying for the LEZ in London, removals companies will automatically qualify to operate within other cities within the EEC too. So if the removals company of your choice has London LEZ authorization and they operate throughout Europe, and that’s where you’re going to, or coming from, you have no worries.

London should be applauded for being at the forefront of environmental improvement, and anyone helping to contribute to this effort by employing eco friendly removals companies can also give themselves a pat on the back.

by Julie-Ann Amos, professional writer, and owner of international writing agency www.ExquisiteWriting.com

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