A major study has been published setting out options for improving London’s air quality by reducing traffic emissions.

The Low Emission Zone Feasibility Study is the product of two years’ work by consultants AEA Technology, commissioned jointly by the Association of London Government, the Mayor of London, Transport for London, The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Transport.

The study was commissioned to investigate the possibility of introducing one or more low emission zones in London. A low emission zone is defined as an area that excludes more polluting vehicles.

The study concludes:

• Area
  The most appropriate option for a London LEZ would be a scheme including all of the Greater London area.
• Vehicles
  The low emission zone should start with a scheme that targets lorries, London buses and coaches. These vehicles have disproportionately high emissions per vehicle and targeting them produces greatest emissions reductions for least cost. Vans could be includes later.
• Legislation and enforcement
  The legal basis for an LEZ should be a Traffic Regulation Order, the study recommends. A manually enforced scheme, targeting heavy vehicles only, would enable the quickest introduction of an LEZ (where offenders are pursued through the courts). However, automatic enforcement using cameras would ensure higher compliance and so greater air quality benefits. It is recommended that the certification scheme for a low emission zone be based on age of first registration, as a proxy for Euro standard with a certification database for exemptions and retrofitted vehicles.
• Implementation date
  The work necessary to set up the legal basis for a London LEZ would make it extremely difficult to implement a fully operational scheme before the middle of 2006, and more realistically before late 2006.
• Air quality
  It is estimated that the recommended scheme would achieve a 23% reduction in total London PM10 emissions in 2010. It would also achieve a 43% reduction in the area of London exceeding the relevant PM10 air quality target in 2010, and a 19% reduction in the area of London exceeding the relevant NO2 air quality target in 2010.

The Mayor of London, Association of London Government and London boroughs are considering recommendations made in the study. Should agreement be reached to take forward any of the proposals, Londoners will get a chance to have their say on the issue before they are implemented.

If it were to go ahead, a low emission zone would require the agreement of every London borough, the Mayor and the government. The study estimates that start up costs would be between £2.8m and £11.8m, with annual operating costs of between £3.9m and £5.5m. Costs to industry are estimated at between £64 million and £135 million.