Yesterday was a bad day for the iconic White Van Man. A wealthy member of the Labour party’s shadow cabinet tweeted a picture which appeared to mock a house festooned in England flags and which had a large Transit van on the drive.
Although the shadow minister resigned within hours of the errant tweet, it did much to reinforce the idea that Middle England’s White Van stereotype was one that could be openly laughed at.
So if WVM is feeling unloved by the metropolitan elite this morning, things might be about to take a turn for the worse. As we report today, a European Court of Justice ruling has dramatically brought forward the likelihood of ‘ultra low emission zones’ being created in Britain’s most densely trafficked urban areas, which would almost certainly sweep nearly all pre-2009 diesel vehicles off the road.
I admit that it seems highly unlikely. Simply outlawing the backbone of Britain’s commercial transport network with a couple of years’ notice is too ridiculous to even entertain.
But it could happen. The UK’s Supreme Court has been ordered by the European Court of Justice to force the Government to rapidly address air pollution, which, in many places in the UK, is well over EU-mandated limits.
While I entirely sympathise with any White Van People who might, by now, be fuming at ‘European’ meddling in the UK’s affairs, I fear this is one of the few times the EU’s attentions have been welcome. There’s no doubt that we have to get a grip on diesel-fired pollution.
There again, this situation is thanks to the European Union’s utterly inexcusable failure to get a grip on the problems of diesel power much earlier.
The US and Japan has long had a distaste for diesel and the associate pollution, which is shown clearly in the graphic (compiled by Bosch) accompanying our news story. In the US Clean Air laws – which covered all types of pollutants – came in with force for cars back in1975.
Europe, by contrast had a happier relationship with diesel, which originally became popular in the 1970s because of the engine’s simplicity and longevity.
But 25 years ago, as fuel prices rose and the climate change lobby began to get real leverage. Although legislation for catalytic convertors had finally seen them becoming standard fit across the EU, Co2 output went to the top of the Euro-agenda.
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@roverfan who still lives in 1984
The one big issue I have with any big city or town is the amount of muck that comes out the back of some of these one man band vans. This issue of concern in any built up area in the country. Even sitting behind one is rather grim experience.
There are ways to deal with this, give large tax breaks or scrappage schemes to help get the elderly vehicles off the road. If it is enforced on european basis and it does raise the cost for your average one man band this inevitably has to be passed on to who ever is buying his services or products. Just like if VAT is raised it has to be passed onto to final consumer if the costs can't be met by the producer or supplier.
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