Achieving FORS Silver standard has opened up new business opportunities for Chingford-based LHT Logistics, a leading member of the Fortec Distribution Network.
Other operators are asking the company to transport their loads on the last leg of journeys into London ahead of tough new anti-pollution controls on vehicles being introduced in the capital.
From April 8 next year lorries that are not Euro 6 compliant will be charged an extra £100 a day to enter a new “Ultra Low Emission Zone” in addition to the Congestion Charge.
At first the ULEZ will cover the same area as the Congestion Charge but it will expand in October 2021 to cover the entire area within the North Circular and South Circular roads.
Ben Ruby, Managing Director of LHT Logistics which has been a Fortec member for the past 14 years, said: “The Ultra Low Emission Zone will impact hauliers running into London, particularly if they have not been steadily replacing vehicles in recent years. It’s going to take them a huge financial investment to upgrade to Euro 6.
“We have been planning for these changes for some time and 90% of our vehicles are already Euro 6 standard.
“We are already working as a consolidation partner for a lot of transport companies who just can’t get into London now with the new regulations and need a provider to deliver the last leg of the journey.
“This has been quite a natural development for the business over the past couple of years and there is still plenty of potential for this kind of work, both within the members of the Fortec Distribution Network and other hauliers across the UK.”
We are FORS Silver accredited, which is governed by Transport for London, and are constantly updated about new compliance standards.
Many of LHT Logistics’ vehicles exceed the specifications required for FORS Silver, having five-way cameras, flashing beacons, sensors and low-level glass panels in doors to increase the driver’s field of direct vision.
This means we can also deliver to destinations that have similar high level of compliance such as Clocs, this is mainly for large construction sites within central London.
Being close to the M1, M11 and M25, with its base just north of boundary of the expanded ULEZ that will come into force in 2021, the company is well-placed to run loads into London.
Mr Ruby, said: “The FORS accreditation is something that has given us peace of mind, as we know all our vehicles, processes, employees and systems are compliant.”