New research suggests that air quality in London is responsible for even more premature deaths than previously calculated. Vehicle emissions are a large chunk of the problem, but will Euro 6 make a realistic difference? GreenFleet examines TfL’S longer term attempt to improve air quality in the capital

New research by Kings College London suggests almost 9,500 people died early in a single year as a result of long-term exposure to air pollution in London.
   
It is believed to be the first attempt at quantifying the health and economic impacts of NO2, with previous studies focusing solely on PM2.5. After taking into account the effects of both airborne particles, researchers from King’s College London found the number of premature deaths caused was higher than previously thought.
   
Interestingly the report, commissioned by the Greater London Authority, found that health issues caused by PM2.5 were predominantly from particles created outside of London, including emissions transported from Europe.
   
The data used by Kings College is five years old, and doesn’t take into account improvements since 2010 (it is generally considered that ‘older’ diesel models are much more pollutive). Nevertheless, it paints a pretty grim picture of air quality in London, and more – much, much more – needs to be done by the manufacturers, the government, and, ultimately, the consumer.

A drop in price
During a hot July this year, for the first time in more than a decade, diesel prices dropped below petrol prices, mainly due to increased supply from refineries outside the UK. According to analysis by Experian Catalyst, the last time diesel was cheaper than petrol was 2001. The reduction, it is claimed, could cause a resurgence in the popularity of diesel cars. This may suit the manufacturers, which have collectively (through the SMMT) campaigned vociferously against what they label as the ‘demonisation’ of diesel. But does it suit the environment? And will it prove to be another obstacle in the path of individual drivers and corporations that are striving to make a difference?
   
Particulate matter is unburnt fuel which collects as soot from the tailpipe. In order to combat this, and to meet Euro 6, many diesel cars will be equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction technology, where injecting urea into the exhaust pipe causes a reaction with the NOx, breaking it down into chemical components which, once passed thorough the catalytic converter, emerge from the tailpipe in the form of water vapour and nitrogen gas. The system has been in use for some time on larger vehicles, but, until now at least, not on cars. This is predominantly down to cost.
   
According to the SMMT, almost 900,000 diesel engines worth £2.8bn will be built in the UK this year, with 85 per cent destined for export. The new Euro 6 regulations, which come into force for cars and LCVs on 1 September, set different standards for petrol and diesel cars. For diesels, they dramatically drop the permitted level of NOx emitted down to a maximum of 80mg/km (compared to the 180mg/km level of Euro 5). The NOx limit for petrol cars remains at 60mg/km, the same as for the Euro 5 standard.

Investment
Large amounts of money has been spent by manufacturers to develop cleaner engine technology, and this has been successful to a point when you consider that average emissions in 2000 were 180g/km. There has been progress made, but real world tests have shown pollutant levels to be as much as seven time higher than current test methods. A new testing cycle, which would allow a more accurate picture of air pollution to be painted, was supposed to be introduced in 2017, but, mainly due to concerns from manufacturers, this has now been put back to 2020.

Although Mercedes-Benz were the first manufacturer to offer Euro 6-compliant vans with the Sprinter back in 2013, it won’t be until September 2016 that all new vans sold must meet the new regulation.

Regional problem?
According to TfL, the Ultra Low Emission Zone due for introduction in 2020 could improve air quality ‘dramatically’, and will require vehicles travelling in the Congestion Charge Zone to meet new standards or pay a daily charge. Cars and small vans will need to be Euro 6 for diesel engines (registered from 1 September 2015 so five years old or less in 2020) and Euro 4 for petrol engines (registered from 1 January 2006 so 14 years old or less in 2020). Non-compliant cars and small vans face a daily charge of £12.50, which also applies to large vans and minibuses, for which Euro 6 is introduced one year later (registered from 1 September 2016 so four years old or less in 2020).
   
Non-compliant Heavy Goods Vehicles, buses and coaches face much stiffer penalties. If they fail to meet Euro 6 (registered from 1 January 2014 so six years old or less in 2020) they will be required to pay a daily charge of £100.

Individual council action
In June this year, Islington Council introduced a £96 annual surcharge on resident permits for diesel vehicles to protect residents from the health risks associated with diesel emissions. Residents were notified by letter as part of their normal permit renewal process, with exemptions for black cabs, carers, commercial vehicles with type ‘N’ status and certain trades people. Other London Councils are expected to follow suit.

In practice
But is TfL, and the Mayor of London, practising what they preach? On the plus side, two London bus routes (507 and 521) will be replaced with a new fleet of electric buses from autumn 2016. The 51 electric buses are expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 408 tonnes, and NOx emissions by 10 tonnes per year, when compared to single decker diesels. There are six pure electric buses currently in operation, as well as eight zero-emission hydrogen buses, which travel between Covent Garden and Tower Gateway.
   
By 2020, TfL is committed to ensuring all 300 single decker buses are zero emission, and all 3,000 double deck buses are hybrid. It’s own ‘real world testing’ has shown that a bus with a Euro 6 Engine was found to have 95 per cent lower NOx emissions than a bus with a Euro 5 (down from 10 g/km to 0.5 g/km). However, 306 of the existing New Hybrid Routemaster buses do not meet Euro 6 emissions standards, but as it stands will be granted an exemption from the (double?) standards, and TfL presumably won’t have to pay itself £30,800 per day to continue their use..

Further information
Air quality: tinyurl.com/nzlqqql
Real World Emissions: tinyurl.com/q6kv5q8