FTA boss seeks London Mayor meeting

Chief Executive of the Freight Transport Association (FTA), David Wells, has written a letter to new London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, to ask for a meeting to discuss how his air quality plans will hit the freight and logistics industry.

A raft of proposals have already been announced by Mr Khan that will target improving air quality in the capital and include an additional central London charge in 2017; vans and lorries will be required to be Euro VI/6 across inner London as by 2018 and a ruling for lorries to be Euro VI across all of Greater London as early as 2020.

The FTA argue that these plans will put a considerable financial strain on transport operators and companies and may result in smaller firms going out of business completely.

Mr Wells provided the Mayor with a copy of FTA’s Freight Manifesto for London, which outlines how the Mayor and London Assembly can collaborate with the logistics industry to strengthen the economy, improve safety and the environment.

Writing in his letter, Mr Wells said: “The logistics industry is working – and succeeding – in improving its record on safety and emissions in London but more can be done, and crucially we believe it can be achieved without adding any unnecessary cost to London life and development.

“I must be honest and say that, given calls for simplistic HGV bans, the way policy may develop in London concerns our 15,000 member businesses more than almost any other issue in the UK.”

FTA’s 15,000 members operate more than half of the UK lorry fleet and consign over 90% of rail freight and 70% of exports by sea and air.

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