Posted on 17th Apr 2019
Regular readers will note we’ve been writing extensively about the rapidly developing clean air agenda in the UK. Most will know London has been at the forefront of these initiatives and will be the first to implement rigorous emissions legislation called the ULEZ in April 2019.
Add to this the advanced clean air plans for Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester and the writing is on the proverbial wall. Our towns and cities are going to change as CAZ schemes spread like seasonal flu. And they could be just as debilitating.
Just look at the recent research from telematics firm Masternaut. They have calculated the potential costs for commercial hauliers if they encounter these clean air zones with their existing fleets. Their conclusions make worrying reading with currently 50% of vehicles not being CAZ-compliant. The financial consequences could be enormous.
In short, without some clear-headed planning, the transport sector is going to find itself under considerable social and monetary pressures.
As one of the foremost suppliers to the UK transport industry, the Truckcraft Bodies team are becoming increasingly worried about how clean air zones will affect our industry. With existing pressure on margins and the elastic nature of fuel prices the added burdens that clean air zones will bring could mean some transport companies become unviable.
That’s not to say we’re complacent about the health and wellbeing impact that noxious emissions have on people. It’s a serious issue of our times and one we need to address from differing angles, one of which will be legislation.
A prime contributor to the issue will be the types of vehicles our sector uses. These will need to be fuel efficient and make the best use of cutting-edge technology. As a market leading example, take Truckcraft’s new generation of delivery vehicle that uses renewable solar to supplement its engineering systems.
Our range now features our new refrigerated truck using TRAILAR upgrades. TRAILAR technology has been proven to deliver a 5% fuel saving and produce much lower emissions. These are the kinds of vehicles required to directly address the fallout from the clean air agenda on the transport sector. We can expect to see many more such vehicles being developed and marketed over the coming years.
The team at Truckcraft Bodies are proud to be taking a proactive stance and playing our part in tackling these concerns with strategic product development and beneficial corporate partnerships. We are always looking for the next breakthrough that will enhance our vehicles and save our clients money.
There is no paracetamol strong enough to take this headache away, unfortunately. Instead, we’ll need clear heads to take the necessary steps to mitigate the impacts and find creative ways to meet the challenge straight-on. It’s time to educate ourselves on the issues, understand the implications and work hard to ensure our industry can still thrive in the testing times ahead.
Working together, we can make a cleaner transport industry that makes us all proud.
If you’d like more information on our CAZ-compliant truck body portfolio contact the Truckcraft Bodies sales team on 0161 304 9404. Alternatively, email glen.pinder@truckcraftbodies.co.uk or emma.jane@truckcraftbodies.co.uk.