The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on road freight and logistics has called on the UK government to pause the rollout of clean air zones (CAZ).
In a report published by the APPG, it recommended that no charging zones should be introduced until 01 January 2022, when a review of the schemes has taken place.
It called for a consideration of whether the zones are required following the efforts of truck and car manufacturers to minimise emissions.
The report comes after a growing number local authorities had shelved CAZ plans, including Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry and Sheffield, while Leeds scraped its plans completely.
Instead of CAZs, the report recommended the government provide investment in a new centralised and ring-fenced fund to help businesses scrap the most polluting vehicles.
Mike Penning, chair of the APPG, said: “We all want to see cleaner air, that is why I back the government’s efforts to introduce measures that support businesses to replace the most polluting vehicles and journeys.
“But it is essential that policies drive behaviour change rather than simply add an additional financial burden on businesses struggling to bounce back from Covid-19.”
According to the report, HGV operators could be charged up to £100 a day under CAZ plans, which, when combined with the impact of the pandemic, would see many haulage businesses unable to survive the next year.
It suggested that CAZs could be the right policy, but believed the approach is flawed and required review before being rolled out.
Penning added: “The government must also use this review to tackle the myriad of practical problems, including the urgent need for a common set of standards and a single national payment portal that covers all road charges.
“As we look to build back better, we must ensure that clean air zones are fit for purpose and meet the challenge that they were designed to tackle and not be a further penalty on struggling businesses.”
Furthermore, the report recommended the maximum charge for HGVs should be £50 per day and a single, national payment portal for chargers be introduced. It suggested a phased approach to charges allowing for a grace period.
