London’s Low Emissions Zone comes into force on the 3rd January, and owners of older motor homes will have to dig deep into their pockets or stay away from the streets of London. The changes apply to vehicles registered before October 2006.
Owners of motor homes that do not comply will have to fit filters costing as much as £3,500 as well as undergoing a £32 yearly inspection by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency. The Low Emission Zone will be enforced by Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras that will enable Transport for London to identify every vehicle entering London and, by a simple cross check they will see if a filter has been fitted. The purpose of the Low Emission Zone is to improve air quality in the capital. However, while it is supported by environmentalists, the draconian penalties have caused widespread concern among those affected.
A spokesman for the caravan club said: “We have lobbied long and hard to impress upon Transport for London and the Mayor’s Office that the inclusion of motor caravans in the LEZ is unfair, as affected vehicles are not significant contributors to air quality deterioration. Caravan Club members that are within the zone face costly options to replace or modify their vehicles, or pay for storage outside of the LEZ at significant cost and inconvenience.” This is, of course, a cost that will be lumped on top of the vital motor home insurance that owners take out each year.
Motor home owners in London appear to have been most caught out by the new rules and mechanics say there is a backlog of motor home owners waiting to get their vehicle updated, and many won’t be able to comply with the new rules before they come into play. Owners have also complained that it has been very difficult to get information on what their vehicle requires to meet the new rules. Transport for London has said it will not penalise drivers of non compliant vehicles brought into the zone if they can prove that they had ordered the necessary filtering equipment before 3rd January.