Another tax/penalty where you are guilty until you can prove your innocence? - an impossible task.
Drivers of vehicles that emit unacceptable levels of pollution could be targeted by a new weapon in the fight to improve air quality.
A spy camera capable of analysing exhaust fumes and recording number plates is being tested and reviewed by London transport bosses.
Roadside air pollution has been increasing in London
The Accuscan 4600 works by firing ultraviolet and infrared light across the road. It can scan 3,000 vehicles every hour and pinpoint transgressors in less than a second.
Transport for London has been testing the £100,000 device at Tower Bridge and could use them to help police its city-wide Low Emission Zone, due to come into effect in February 2008.
Drivers of lorries, buses and coaches that fail to meet the emissions targets will be charged £200 a day to drive into London.
The city's air quality is the worst in Britain and among the worst in Europe. Roadside air pollution has been on the rise in London for the past two years and a recent survey by Ipsos Mori found that 72 per cent of residents were concerned about pollution from traffic fumes.
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The zone will begin by focusing on older, more polluting lorries then include lighter lorries and vans, with the aim of cutting emissions by 16 per cent by 2012. If successful, it could be adopted by other local authorities across Britain.
A TfL spokesman insisted that, if adopted, the new cameras would not be used to target drivers but to record the overall success of the zone.
TfL is currently installing different cameras around the perimeter of London capable of calculating from the model of each heavy goods vehicle whether it is capable of meeting the low emissions target.
Referring to the Accuscan 4600, the spokesman said: "A small trial has been undertaken of devices that measure pollutant emissions from vehicles, the results of which have been provided to Transport for London.
"We are studying these results, and if these devices provide robust data we will look at piloting them for emissions monitoring for the Low Emission Zone. However, we will not be using these devices to enforce the Low Emission Zone."
However, Duncan Mounsour, of Enviro Technology Services which has developed the Accuscan 4600, said the system could be used for enforcement.
"Should registered keepers of those vehicles not heed any notices that may be sent to them to get their vehicles tuned up and better maintained, then it could be used as a system to issue penalties," he said.
Under Department for Transport regulations, local authorities are empowered to conduct emission checks and fine drivers breaking legal limits. Until now, however, enforcement has been impractical.
Council officials have had to stop vehicles with the help of police officers and measure a vehicle's emissions using an electronic probe.
By Graham Tibbetts
The Telegraph
www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/20...l
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I hope they don't immediately hand out a fine if a car is caught. That's what the MoT is for.
I have my car serviced but I don't know what I?m emitting until the MoT rolls round. I'm guessing I'm OK because I don?t notice any funny smells or smoke....
Chris
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In France the police pull vehicles and test their emissions on the spot. Saw a whole queue waiting in place de la Republique in Paris once, with techs inserting probes into their exhaust pipes. Could be of course that they don't have an annual MoT type test, although that would surprise me.
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the carncil do this up here with a bobby to stop you and pull you in for the test,they probe the rear of the car and fine you £40 if your car is not within the boundaries specified for your car/van (ie the mot pass/fail quota)
The wife got pulled about 6 years ago in a car i gave her a mk 1 fiesta, car was sound but on tickover used to dribble oil down the valves ,anyway she passed the emmisions test set off and covered all the idiots with the clipboards in thick oily blue smoke
How i chortled when she told me the story later
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How do you 'pilot a camera scheme'? I used to fly an amuminium tube with cameras in it for the RAF. I am surprised they aren't 'launching' the camera or 'rolling it out' or 'trialling' it. Must remind them of the words introduce or start using!
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These devices have been used for some time in the USA. The Japanese have a similar device too. I got pulled over by a policeman in Japan in 2005 on account of some remote device had apparently detected that there was too much pollution coming from my rental car. Unfortunately I couldn't really communicate with him, but I showed him the car rental documents and he waved me on my way.
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How on earth are we supposed to know if our vehicles are emitting excess fumes??
It's not as if you can look at your exhaust as you drive, it is not tested during routine servicing. The MOT is the only time - soon to be once every 2 years if this daft bunch get their way!.
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i put every car i get in through the emmisions test
this would be done by any decent garage who services your vehicle i would hope
probably im unique?
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How does this device differentiate between vehicles in London traffic? If bendy bus stops right next to me with its exhaust close enough to my rear bumper will I get fined because emissions around my vehicle jump off the chart?
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[Nissan 2.2 dCi are NOT Renault engines. Grrr...]
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>How on earth are we supposed to know if our vehicles are emitting excess fumes??
That's the whole point of them.
As Aprilia noted, these devices have been used on urban freeways in California for at least a couple of years now. If they detect excessive emissions from a vehicle the owner is sent a notice giving them a fixed period to take it to a testing station for a smog check.
The trigger points are set quite high and only if you ignore the notice and carry on using the vehicle is further action taken.
Kevin...
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most offences involving vehicles don't have 'ignorance of the problem' as a form of defence/excuse
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I suspect many of the stinkers don't bother with Mot tests. Nor that pesky duo of excise license and insurance. Saves on servicing, and you get free petrol too, if you borrow someone elses numbers.
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Westpig - I think the suggestion is that you get pulled and told of the problem, but not punished. Get pulled again and your defence of ignorance doesn't exist.
Seems like a good idea to me
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I think in most cases (assuming 'modern' cars) the yellow MIL lamp on the dash would be illuminated.
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