Localism ‘could impose multiple HGV standards’

Ray Ashworth, the managing director of DAF Trucks, has warned that growing concerns about road safety and air pollution, combined with increasing ‘localism’ in regional government, may lead to a nightmare situation whereby five or six British cities might be able to impose arbitrary local standards regarding truck design and emissions.

Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton are all to be given the power to establish Clean Air Zones, where only trucks meeting Euro 6 will be allowed to operate. In addition, the Euro 6-only London Ultra Low Emission Zone will come into force in 2020; and Transport for London’s LoCity programme will be promoting the use of electric and hydrogen-fuelled trucks and vans.

Speaking to journalists on the eve of the Commercial Vehicle Show, Mr Ashworth said: “Forty-three thousand new trucks are sold in the UK each year. We need one set of standards for the UK, not the five or six we are potentially faced with – let alone the prospect of a unique standard for trucks passing through the village of Lower Slaughter!

“FORS, CLOCS, the Northern Powerhouse… they are all putting forward good ideas, but we need just one idea that we can work with.

“Euro 6 solves the clean air issue. We know that the truck industry really does achieve Euro 6 standards in real-life and not just static tests. We don’t want to be tarred with the same brush as the car industry.

“My message to politicians is, ‘Please don’t try to design trucks!’ But please do deal with traffic congestion. For instance, if you don’t want trucks in your area at peak times then let them in at night.”