CURRENT ISSUES
Transport and Distribution

FWD members collectively operate over 7,000 delivery vehicles which make over 200,000 deliveries every week to small businesses in every postcode of the UK. FWD is therefore closely involved in policy discussions around transport, logistics and distribution around the UK.

Deliveries to shops and restaurants in busy towns and cities keep these businesses afloat, but they can be disruptive. FWD members seek to abide by parking restrictions and delivery hours and work with local authorities to minimise their impact.

 

FWD is currently monitoring possible changes to parking regulations, Ultra Low Emission Zones, and the phase-out of high-emission HGV vehicles.

Government plans
Latest

London ULEZ

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone is to be extended across all London boroughs from August 29 2023. As part of this process, the London Mayor is funding a £110m scrappage scheme to help micro businesses and sole traders to scrap or retrofit their non-compliant vehicles. Applications open in January.

There will also be an increase of £20 in the penalty charge for non-payment of the ULEZ and Congestion Charge, to £180.

Grants for electric vehicle chargepoints

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles is offering 100% of the costs of installing an electric vehicle charging point as a capital allowance.
Some of the expenditure may also qualify for the new super deduction, equating to a 130% en- hanced deduction of the total cost.

Grants of up to £350 are available to cover the cost of buying and installing a chargepoint: Further grants, of up to £15,000, are available to SMES to help cover the cost of installing chargepoint infrastructure.

Zero emission HGV

All new heavy goods vehicles in the UK will be zero-emission by 2040, the Government has announced. The UK will become the first country in the world to commit to phasing out new, non-zero emission heavy goods vehicles weighing 26 tonnes and under by 2035, with all new HGVs sold in the UK to be zero emission by 2040.

The Clean Air Strategy  has the following implications for FWD wholesalers:

Transport:

  • The Transport Secretary will have the powers, from new legislation, to force manufactures to recall vehicles and non-road mobile machinery for any failures in their emissions control system, and to take effective action against tampering with vehicle emissions control systems.
  • The Government will attempt to develop a new standard for tyres and breaks to address toxic non-exhaust particulate emissions from vehicles which include micro plastics and can pollute air and water.
  • The Government will aim to encourage the use of the cleanest modes of transport for freight and passengers, including active travel.
  • The cost of Red diesel is being reviewed by the Government and the Treasury to ensure that its lower price is not disincentivising the transition to cleaner alternatives.

The strategy notes that analysis shows that the actions set out in this strategy can meet the Government’s ambitious emissions reduction targets, if they are implemented with the necessary pace and determination. The Government also claims that these improve on current EU rules.