Emission Law Changes to Impact Minibus Drivers
22 January 2019
Over the last few years, the level of vehicle emissions has grown at an exponential rate, and as a result, there are constraints to be implemented across London in the near future. The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) recently co-hosted an event with Transport for London (TFL) to explore the direct impact of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on van users and fleet management companies operating in and out of London.
This has a direct impact on your minibus choices, as the ULEZ will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the current congestion charge area, which is set to grow as the level of traffic continues to rise. This new regulation will charge any vehicle which does not meet the emissions criteria of Euro 6 for diesel cars, vans and minibuses and other specialist vehicles. It is worth noting however that all new minibuses supplied by Marshall Minibus are already Euro 6 compliant, but this legislation is likely to affect older minibuses being used by your organisation.
The meeting included around fifty representatives from the government, business and fleet managers, as well as used vehicle suppliers, with the main focus being on increasing awareness among drivers who are most likely to be impacted by the ULEZ when it is made active in April 2019.
To prepare for these changes, Marshall Minibus is at hand to help with any issues, queries or to give general advice on which minibus is most suitable for you when operating in and around London. The rules for driving and maintaining a minibus are confusing and often misunderstood. There are plenty of organisations who claim to offer help and advice, but beware; these are often specialist training companies offering D1 training who have a vested interest in selling you their services.
Although training and compliance is a very important part of our offering, the D1 category on your licence is not always required to be able to drive a minibus. We believe that advice should be given in good faith and with no hidden agenda, so in this section we will outline the current advice as we see it to best prepare you for these legislative changes in the near future.
To find out more about how Marshall Minibus can benefit your organisation, please visit our website here or please contact us on 01480 414541.
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