RHA has revealed that haulage operators have slashed NOx emissions from trucks by at least 59% in only six years, according to government statistics.
Department for Transport figures show a continual year-on-year decline since 2013 as the RHA predicts the industry will have reduced its NOx output by at least 80% by 2025.
The RHA said that the industry’s £1.9bn investment in Euro VI vehicles has driven the huge reduction as it publishes its annual NOx Emission Assessment from heavy goods vehicles.
Chris Ashley, RHA’s Head of Policy on the environment, said the latest assessment shows what can be achieved when well-designed standards, in this instance Euro VI, are phased in sustainably.
He commented: “As the Government’s ‘green recovery’ agenda gathers pace we believe this positive experience can be applied to the decarbonisation agenda but a repeat of DEFRA’s flawed Clean Air Zone policy must be avoided.
“Hauliers are willing to invest in the technology needed for a clean environment but they must have confidence that the regulatory framework will not retrospectively undermine that investment.
“Imposing high charges on technology deemed ‘obsolete’ without first checking there is a sufficient supply of the desired technology is a recipe for disaster. It leads to stranded assets, market distortion and waste.
“With this week’s dreadful news that the economy is officially in recession the Government must take a more sustainable approach to goods moving around the country – one which recognises that environmental and social wellbeing depends on economic wellbeing.”
