The Road Haulage Association (RHA) and Freight Transport Association have criticised Oxford’s proposed Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ), warning that charging trucks to enter the city centre puts firms at risk.
Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council are considering proposals to launch a Red Zone in the city centre from December 2020 whereby vehicles that fail to meet zero-emission standards will face £10 daily charges.
In plans published ahead of an informal consultation, the charging could be operational between 7am-7pm.
Furthermore, a Green Zone covering the remainder of the city centre could be launched from 2021/22.
According to the RHA, which represents 6,000 UK road transport operators, with “no zero-emission trucks currently on the market, Oxford’s plans place hauliers in an impossible position and is, in reality, just another tax on businesses dressed up as concern for the environment”.
RHA chief executive, Richard Burnett, said: “If council chiefs are serious about slashing emissions they need to focus on improving road infrastructure.
“Current plans mean that consumers will face higher prices in the shops as hard-pressed firms have no choice but to pass on the extra costs.
“Imposing a scheme where even the cleanest, Euro VI trucks will be hit with charges is absurd.
“The councils have offered no evidence to show how these measures will improve air quality so we can only conclude this is all about showcasing its green credentials instead of making the tough choices to tackle emissions.
“These are poorly conceived ideas that will leave Oxford’s communities footing the bill with price hikes in the high street if they go ahead.”
Burnett also branded plans to offer exemptions for firms based within the zone as discriminatory, claiming that most firms delivering into the area will be based outside the zone.
