Calls to ban heavy lorries in city centres misguided, Cap cautions

Vehicle data specialist Cap has warned that calls to ban heavy lorries in city centres could backfire, increasing pollution levels by eight times the current rate.

John Watts, senior editor for commercial vehicles and motorcycles for Cap, said: "Society’s demand for material goods, fuelled by internet purchases that must be delivered in the shortest possible time, has seen an increase in freight on the UK’s roads. It’s easy to assume that the more freight, the bigger the vehicles, but with delivery times shortening, more and more light commercials are being acquired, increasing congestion and pollution.”

Watts explained that abolishing heavy vans would simply lead to ‘several smaller vehicles’ taking over from one long trailer, leading to increased congestion, slower traffic and increased idling times for older and more polluting engines.

He said: "In addition, any plans to ban heavy vehicles in town centres, unless they are powered by alternative fuels, gives no consideration to the environmental costs associated with warehouse construction, vehicle production, alternative fuel production and other factors. In the UK the vast majority of production of all fuel types is carbon-based, with its well-documented contribution to global warming.

“According to our figures, pollution could increase by as much as eight times, if city centres decide to ban heavy goods vehicles. In addition, there would be a huge increase in costs to get extra drivers for forklifts, more warehouse staff and extra vehicles. If alternative fuels were used, there would need to be an infrastructure to support it, as well as sufficient parking space to store vehicles not in use.

“This is a laudable principle, but the issues caused by banning lorries, could outweigh any potential benefits. The danger is, we implement schemes that don’t actually reduce pollution and congestion, they simply move them elsewhere.”

Simplified, Watts’ calculations have taken into account that a 44 tonne tractor/trailer combination will emit no more than 2gms of NOx and 0.05gms of particulate matter during each round trip. However, the 17 3.5 tonne of vehicles required to deliver the same weight of goods would emit 14.3gms of NOx and 0.43gms of particulates. This equates to seven times more NOx and 8.5 times more particulates.