Banning new petrol and diesel cars a ‘smokescreen’ for lacklustre air quality plan, says CILT

Following publication of the Government’s Air Quality Plan, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) believes that government could do better than the “weak and timid” plans, particularly given the urgency and the health risks. The Institute recently criticised the draft plan, saying the proposed measures to reduce NO2 concentrations were likely to be ineffective. Many towns and cities in England suffer excessive – and illegal – levels of NO2 concentrations on their busiest roads and these
August 2, 2017 Read time: 3 mins
Following publication of the Government’s Air Quality Plan, the 6500 Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) believes that government could do better than the “weak and timid” plans, particularly given the urgency and the health risks.


The Institute recently criticised the draft plan, saying the proposed measures to reduce NO2 concentrations were likely to be ineffective. Many towns and cities in England suffer excessive – and illegal – levels of NO2 concentrations on their busiest roads and these levels are now known to be injurious to health. CILT believes that charging non-compliant vehicles to enter Clean Air Zones (CAZs) is the only way to bring these concentrations down quickly and tackle the health risk. However, the draft plan treated this as a last resort after all other methods could be shown to fail. CILT is disappointed to see that the new Air Quality plans perpetuate this same approach.

CILT is pleased to see that the new plan does now contain a new option for local authorities – recommended by the Institute in response to the draft plan – to consider the simple exclusion of old, polluting vehicles from CAZs as an alternative to charging; as is common in some 200 towns and cities in 13 countries across Europe.

We recommend that this option should be explored by local authorities, as a practical approach to tackle euro-emission requirements for compliant vehicles, and can be introduced initially for older vehicles, and then progressively tightened over time as the community gets used to the measures.

The Government’s announcement to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel engine cars and vans from 2040 is a welcome step. This will bring benefits of CO2 reduction as well as improving local air quality. However, CILT feel that this announcement does nothing to help the immediate air quality problems which require determined action now. This announcement has been described as a ‘smokescreen’ to draw attention away from the ineffectiveness of the immediate plans.

Government has issued direction to 23 designated local authorities to prepare and evaluate options to bring NO2 concentrations within legal limits by March 2018, and to have firm implementation plans by December 2018. Among the various options available, they place the onus entirely on local authorities to make the case for charging non-compliant vehicles, and do not provide any political ‘cover’ and CILT continues to see this as is a weak and timid approach, particularly given the urgency and the health risks.

Air Quality & Weather Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Police to enforce car ban as Paris battles smog
    March 17, 2014
    Thousands of cars will be banned from Parisian roads today as the city tries to curb dangerous pollution levels by introducing alternate driving days for the first time in nearly two decades. The radical move will see around 700 police officers deployed to man 60 checkpoints around the French capital to ensure that only cars with number plates ending in odd numbers are on the streets. Parking will be free for vehicles with even number plates, the Paris city hall said, calling on residents to consult
    Read More
  • E-scooter fires spark TfL ban 
    December 16, 2021
    Defective lithium-ion batteries to blame; £1,000 fines for people who don't comply
    Read More
  • IRF takes politicians to task on road safety
    January 7, 2013
    The International Road Federation has issued a wake up call to government ministers, in the form of its Vienna Manifesto on ITS. Four years on from coming to a key decision on ITS, the International Road Federation (IRF) now faces a further question – how can it ensure its Vienna Manifesto on ITS achieves maximum impact? This is a challenge the organisation is not taking lightly. Issues the manifesto has been drawn up to address have become more acute in the time taken to publish it and are forecast to wors
    Read More
  • UK trial of electric cars proves they are greener
    June 14, 2013
    Experts leading a major three-year trial into the impact of electric vehicles and the role they could play in our transport systems of the future, have shown that rolling them out across our city’s roads would protect both our health and the environment. Data gathered and analysed by transport experts at the UK’s Newcastle University shows that daytime air pollution levels in our towns and cities regularly exceed the Government’s recommended 40µg m-3 (21 parts per billion) for prolonged periods, putting peo
    Read More

Highlighted Content