Skip to main content

New freight air quality initiative to reduce harmful emissions in London

The LoCITY programme has taken its first steps to improve air quality in London by publishing data to help increase the availability and uptake of low emission vans and lorries, following its initial four months’ research. The research demonstrates that to reduce freight’s impact on London’s air quality the use of low emission commercial vehicles must be increased. It has also revealed some of the key barriers that are holding back the use of low emission vehicles. One area highlighted is a lack of info
May 26, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The LoCITY programme has taken its first steps to improve air quality in London by publishing data to help increase the availability and uptake of low emission vans and lorries, following its initial four months’ research.

The research demonstrates that to reduce freight’s impact on London’s air quality the use of low emission commercial vehicles must be increased. It has also revealed some of the key barriers that are holding back the use of low emission vehicles. One area highlighted is a lack of information about the capabilities, benefits and requirements of ULEVs. Without this information operators can find it hard to justify the purchase of low emission vehicles. A lack of impartial information on alternative fuels and infrastructure has been identified as a further problem. LoCITY aims to become the trusted source of advice and guidance for fleet operators to make informed purchasing decisions on low emission vehicles.

LoCITY is an industry-led programme helping the freight and fleet industry reduce its impact on air quality by increasing the use of ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs). 1466 Transport for London (TfL) is part funding and monitoring LoCITY to ensure it is a success. More than 600 organisations from across the commercial vehicle industry, government and academia are already working together on the programme to make the widespread use of low emission commercial vehicles a reality.
 
LoCITY aims to create new environmental operating standards and contractual clauses which will help anyone buying goods or services to specify the use of low emission vehicles.

It will also investigate, through research and trials, the impact of cleaner vehicles on business operations, to bust myths and give confidence to operators who may be considering adding low emission vehicles to their fleets.  
 
According to Mike Brown MVO, London's Transport Commissioner the industry has an important role to play in saving lives by improving our air quality, and over the next five years LoCITY will play an important role in helping increase the take up of low emission commercial vehicles.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Changing perceptions and going green with ITS
    May 26, 2022
    Entrants to the ITS (UK) Essay Award were asked to write about innovative application of ITS solutions to achieve decarbonisation goals. First-year apprentice Leora Wilson, who studies at Leeds College of Building as part of her apprenticeship with Mott MacDonald, won the competition with this entry…
  • HGVs without safety equipment to be banned from London
    February 6, 2015
    Britain’s first Safer Lorry Scheme, a London-wide ban on any lorry not fitted with safety equipment to protect cyclists and pedestrians, has been given the go ahead by the mayor, Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils. The scheme received 90 per cent support in a public consultation Traffic orders implementing the scheme are currently being published. Installation of road signs at the London boundary, training of police officers and information campaigns with drivers and hauliers have all started
  • HGVs without safety equipment to be banned from London
    February 6, 2015
    Britain’s first Safer Lorry Scheme, a London-wide ban on any lorry not fitted with safety equipment to protect cyclists and pedestrians, has been given the go ahead by the mayor, Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils. The scheme received 90 per cent support in a public consultation Traffic orders implementing the scheme are currently being published. Installation of road signs at the London boundary, training of police officers and information campaigns with drivers and hauliers have all started
  • TfL to deploy 20 hydrogen buses in London
    May 20, 2019
    Transport for London (TfL) is to deploy 20 hydrogen double decker buses in London next year in a bid to improve air quality in the UK capital.