Fleets are failing to ready their operations for the 8th April launch of the London Ultra-Low Emissions Zone, risking fines of over £4,500 per year per van.
The research from Europcar Mobility Group UK found a quarter of businesses had still not made plans for the ULEZ by last month while more than one in 10 (12%) either weren’t sure what the requirements of the ULEZ will be or had never even heard of it; only 36% said that they fully understood the impact in terms of vehicle emissions standards.
The survey of fleet operators also found 92% of those surveyed said they had vans on fleet that were more than three years old while 59% use their vans every day of the week; with a daily charge of £12.50 for non-compliant vans, this could equate to fines of more than £4,500.
And it’s not just London-based operators being affected; more than a quarter (27.9%) of businesses spread across the UK said that between 11% and 50% of their fleet travel into London on a regular basis, with 36% of businesses from as far as the East Midlands travelling into London at least once a week.
Stuart Russell, director commercial vehicles, Europcar Mobility Group UK, commented: “The regulatory changes that the ULEZ is set to bring are going to have a significant impact for businesses around the UK, not just those that are based in London. Many businesses trade within this zone and could be liable to this daily charge.
“We have seen significant interest in our mid to long-term rental products as businesses of all sizes look for solutions to the introduction of ULEZ. With our Europcar services, we provide access to compliant vans in the UK that feature the latest automotive technology. These vehicles enable businesses to not only reduce their carbon footprint but eliminate the ULEZ charges. This is all possible without tying up capital on outright vehicle purchases or committing to a long-term lease deal.”
