Despite the turmoil of current events, we as an industry have remained focused on key issues: air quality for example, and how to improve it, will certainly rise back up the agenda in 2021. One of the key ways government has sought to tackle this is to delegate some of the responsibility down to local authorities (LAs). This has had a mixed response given local challenges, with some authorities now reviewing their implementation methods.
Given the complexity of the issues involved, LAs are challenged when finding the right balance between charges and incentives. There’s a reason carrot normally works better than stick – Clean Air Zones should be about encouraging meaningful behaviour, and significant consideration must be given to how this is done.
A recent report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Road Freight has highlighted this problem, and sets out some key recommendations for Government.
Meanwhile, with registration figures for November due to be published tomorrow, the CV industry remains focused on the future. Fleet renewal is the quickest way to improve air quality, so any policy should support drivers and operators by providing clarity over how they should target their future investment.
