Skip to main content

For better air quality ‘cities need to turn to gas powered trucks and buses’

The UK’s cities are under unprecedented pressure to improve air quality, as Supreme Court justices in London order that air quality plans to comply with European Union (EU) law on limits for nitrogen dioxide (NOx) in the air must be submitted to the European Commission no later than 31 December 2015. The case was brought by ClientEarth, a group of lawyers dedicated to environmental issues, which says the ruling means the Government must start work on a comprehensive plan to meet pollution limits as soon
May 1, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The UK’s cities are under unprecedented pressure to improve air quality, as Supreme Court justices in London order that air quality plans to comply with 1816 European Union (EU) law on limits for nitrogen dioxide (NOx) in the air must be submitted to the 1690 European Commission no later than 31 December 2015.

The case was brought by ClientEarth, a group of lawyers dedicated to environmental issues, which says the ruling means the Government must start work on a comprehensive plan to meet pollution limits as soon as possible. Among the measures that that it must consider are low emission zones, congestion charging and other economic incentives.

ClientEarth is calling for action to clean up the worst polluting diesel vehicles, including through a national network of low emission zones.

Gas expert John Baldwin, managing director of CNG Services, says in response: “Thousands of people are dying of poor air quality ever year. As we speak in 16 cities are breaching legal limits for NOx, much of which comes from diesel engines; trucks and buses.

“Rather than look to increasing congestion charges or controlling where vehicles can go, why aren’t we using gas powered vehicles? A recent report from Energy & Utility Skills has shown that gas will give us significant greenhouse gas reductions as well as getting rid of hazardous NOx and particulate matter, which can kill.”

“We’ve got the technology here now. The big plus about gas engines is not only do they produce fewer NOx emissions and virtually eliminate emissions of particulates; they are also 50 per cent quieter than normal diesel engines. This means gas trucks are ideal for making night-time deliveries. ”

“Gas isn’t the future, it’s here now – we’ve got the vehicles and we can deliver fuel through our extensive gas grid – all we need is the political will to make it happen and save lives.”

Related Content

  • November 23, 2018
    Cut freight deliveries – improve Southampton’s air quality
    Taking the pressure off cities’ road networks can have a beneficial effect on the environment. David Crawford looks at a new economic model which seeks to quantify the societal effect of freight traffic in Southampton, one of the UK’s five most polluted cities Cuts of 60% or more in volumes of freight deliveries are being predicted - along with badly-needed improvements in air quality - from a load consolidation scheme currently being introduced in the UK port city of Southampton. The forecasts are based o
  • October 11, 2019
    C40 mayors make global ‘clean air’ pledge
    In a move that will have significant implications for urban transit, 35 mayors at this week’s C40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen have pledged to “implement substantive clean air policies by 2025”. Among other developments, this is likely to mean further increases in low- or zero-carbon public transport and zero-emissions zones, along with enhanced incentives and infrastructure to support walking and cycling, in cities worldwide. Signing the C40 Clean Air Cities Declaration, the mayors signalled their
  • April 7, 2014
    Pollution has more than one solution
    Professor Alexander Baklanov of the World Meteorological Organization talks to Colin Sowman about the difficulties of reducing urban pollution. The inhabitants of Beijing have recently been suffering pollution levels 20 times the World Health Organisation’s recommended limit while the European Union is revitalising its efforts to implement and enforce air quality standards. Almost inevitably much of the clean-up efforts are likely to focus on traffic planners and engineers.
  • August 6, 2013
    Assembly urges full speed ahead on new ultra-low emissions zone
    The London Assembly has written to the Mayor Boris Johnson to urge him to look at bringing in a ultra-low emission zone for central London sooner than 2020 and not to restrict plans to new vehicles only. In February this year the Mayor said he wanted to make almost all vehicles driving in central London during working hours zero or low emission by 2020 and asked Transport for London (TfL) to prepare plans for a new ultra-low emissions zone (ULEZ). The London Assembly Environment Committee has now written to