UK Crackdown on Illegal HGV Emissions Set to Begin

HGV/LGV drivers are responsible, in part, for the ongoing safety of their vehicles. Regular vehicle checks by drivers and haulage companies are standard practice, and any faults that could be dangerous are attended to promptly. When it comes to driving, too, HGV/LGV drivers are responsible for the safety of their vehicle as they navigate the road and other drivers. But now there’s a new safety standard for UK HGV drivers that might not seem as immediate as the others, but is vital for our health and safety nonetheless

The British Government has decided to begin checking trucks’ emission levels, keeping an eye on the pollution they contribute to the UK’s roads. Checks will be done by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, and are an attempt at lowering the current estimated death toll related to air pollution. Currently around 40,000 annual deaths in the UK are attributed to this sort of pollution, and legal checks exist for every haulage company and manufacturer to follow. These checks will crack down on any vehicles which are pumping out pollution above the legal limit, with the aim of keeping all haulage firms diligent about the vehicles they’re using and how safe they are for the environment.

The crackdown comes in the wake of news that some operators have been using things known as ‘emissions cheat devices’ to give the appearance of producing lower emissions than they actually are and to fool emissions control systems into failing to kick in. On top of these devices, some engines have been fitted with modifications which lead to a far greater level of emissions than normal, as well as having their diesel particulate filters removed, all for some extra driving benefits. Any firms whose vehicles are found to be in breach of the regulations or which have been modified illegally will have 10 days to sort out the problem or face their wheels being removed from the road and a heavy fine.

It’s hoped that with these additional checks, and the threat of prosecution, firms will no longer see this sort of thing as a worthwhile exercise, and will comply with the emissions regulations fully. Cleaner air and a fall in health problems and pollution-related deaths should then follow. Of course this isn’t the only way HGV pollution is set to be reduced in the coming months and years. As we’ve reported on this blog recently, a whole wave of electric vehicles due to be launched soon includes HGVs which operate entirely without fossil fuels. It’s just one of the ways futuristic HGVs are being developed for a world in which haulage will be faster, cheaper, green and less labour intensive than it currently is.

Even our drivers are set to go paperless in the very near future, with more and more documentation being digital rather than on paper, including passports, LGV driving licences and haulage work-related information. This means fewer trees cut down for the purpose of keeping track of driving hours, while the all-electric HGVs of the future join them to keep our air healthy and fresh.