Author: Abaranji Sivakumar

Businesses that use vans could find themselves falling foul of new emissions regulations that are set to come into effect in London next year.

Cox Automotive said at an event co-hosted by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) and Transport for London (TfL) that it has found more than 80 per cent of vans on the road today will not be compliant with the rules of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

This could have a serious impact on company owners, who may find themselves having to pay significant fines if their drivers are regularly using older, less efficient vans on roads covered by the ULEZ.

The ULEZ will come into effect in central London on April 8th 2019 and is part of a drive to improve air quality.

Described as the most radical ever crackdown on vehicle emissions, it will initially apply to older petrol and diesel vehicles in the London congestion charge zone. However, unlike the C-Charge, it will apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

There has already been much criticism of the scheme, with those opposed pointing out that not everyone is even aware of the initiative, let alone has the resources to replace older vehicles at short notice in order to adhere to the low-emission regulations.

Director of communications and external relations at the BVRLA Toby Poston said: “TfL has an enormous task ahead of them to support the hundreds of small businesses who essentially rely on vans but will be caught out by the new Ultra-Low Emission Zone in a few months’ time.”

TfL’s James Ingram acknowledged that a key challenge will be businesses upgrading their fleet in time.

“That is why we have joined forces with the BVRLA to give smaller businesses as much support as we can to be ready, not just for the introduction of ULEZ, but for the long-term future as London moves towards becoming a zero-carbon city by 2050,” he added.

Surface transport is responsible for around a quarter of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions and the EU has agreements with motor manufacturers in place that aim to reduce this pollution from new vehicles.

Many now have colour-coded labels to display how much CO2 they emit per kilometre to help buyers choose more environmentally-friendly models.

The Met office is warning there will be a significant change in the autumnal weather this week, as Storm Diana moves from the Atlantic and is set to bring rain and gales to the UK, from Wednesday.

Here is some advice to your fleet drivers from IAM RoadSmart on how best to cope with it.

Heavy rain:

• Heavy rain will affect your visibility, so take it slow. Rule 126 of the Highway Code states that the braking distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you should be two seconds when driving on a dry road, and at least four seconds in the wet. It is even longer on icy surfaces. IAM RoadSmart recommends up to 10 times the braking distance when driving on ice.
• Your windscreen should be clean, wipers effective and the jets positioned correctly and aimed at the screen. It is sensible to clean the windshield, make any necessary adjustments and remove anything from the main area before you start your journey.
• A good rule of thumb is that if you need windscreen wipers, then you need your headlights. Automatic light settings will not always activate in lousy weather conditions, so it is up to you to make a sensible decision as to whether these need to be turned on.

Aquaplaning:

• If the water is standing in puddles on the road surface, your car is at risk of aquaplaning. Aquaplaning is where a wedge of water forms in front of the tyre and lifts off the road surface, causing the tread not to be able to displace the amount of water present. To recover form aquaplaning, ease gently off your accelerator, have a firm grip of the steering wheel and be sure not to make any sudden steering actions. The car will eventually regain its grip as the water clears.

Floods:

• First, ask yourself – can you take another route? If not, then you need to identify how deep the water is. If the standing water is more than six inches deep, avoid driving through it. If you are familiar with the road, you can judge the flood to the kerb.
• If heavy rain was not the cause of the flood, then what was? Moreover, what impact on the road does it have? For example, if it is a burst water main, the standing water may look like a normal flood, but the road surface beneath the water may be completely broken up. If you are unsure how the surge has formed, then avoid it altogether.
• Are there other vehicles similar to yours that are safely driving through the water? From this, make a judgement call as to whether it is safe to travel through or not.
• If the water is fast flowing, do not attempt to drive through it, as there is a real danger of being swept off the road in your car.
• If you have considered everything and decided to drive through the flood, be sure to do so slowly. The best approach is to press lightly on your clutch and add gentle pressure on your accelerator to increase your engine revs. Do so without increasing your speed, in a similar way to how you would undertake a hill start. Doing this will prevent water from entering your exhaust. If you are in an automatic car, accelerate slightly but control the speed with your brakes. When you have passed the flood, test your brakes to make sure they are dry and working correctly.
• If you are in the slightest doubt, then turn around and don’t go through the flood. Often modern saloon cars have the air intake in the wheel arch, which may be below the water level. If your engine should take in water, it will take immediately hydro lock, and the vehicle will stop.
• Remember to stay alert and avoid splashing pedestrians. If accidentally done – even when causing splashed when driving through puddles at the side of the road – you could receive a fixed penalty and three points on your license for driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users. If deliberately done, it could be a public order offence, a court appearance and a fine.

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