Low Emission Zone now in force in London

From the beginning of September, construction site managers in London must retrofit or replace old polluting machinery in an effort to help improve the air quality in the capital.

The Low Emission Zone is the forerunner to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s plans for a Ultra-Low Emission Zone in central London from 2020, and forms part of the greater plan to reduce transport emissions within the city.

Under new rules, the Low Emission Zone for construction machinery will see all construction sites in the centre of London and sites building more than ten homes or larger than 1,000sq ft in Greater London, having to replace or retrofit polluting construction equipment which is more than 10 years old.

Some exemptions will be made on equipment that that are not available at the emission standard stipulated or in the volumes required to satisfy demand.

A new online register has been set up to simplify the process for site managers to register all construction machinery within the London catchment area. After an initial introductory six-month period that will focus on education and raising awareness, any construction site found not to be meeting the emissions standards required, will find its managers in breach of their planning requirements as imposed by the relevant borough.

Penalties could potentially include a delay to the final completion of a project, leading to possible financial repercussions for the company concerned.

It is estimated up to 12% of nitrogen oxide and 15% of particulate pollution in London come from construction and demolition activity. The new legislation is expected to cut these types of emissions by nearly 50% by 2020.

Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Matthew Pencharz, said: “Dust and fumes from construction sites are a nuisance to people who live close by but they also impact on London’s wider air quality.

“That’s why it’s so important for these new emission standards to come in to address the problem, which together with our efforts on transport emissions will make a significant difference to the air Londoners breathe.”

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