GLA withdraws best practice exemptions for DPFs

Machines exempt from the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) charge will be subject to the requirements of the Best Practice Guide (BPG), including the need to fit diesel particulate filters (DPFs) to those over 37kW, the Greater London Authority (GLA) has confirmed.

The move was confirmed in a letter from the principal policy advisor for air quality with the GLA, to the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) and has caused it, and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), concern and frustration.

"They keep moving the goal posts," said an exasperated CPA chief executive Colin Wood. "First there was the eligible equipment list and that was unilaterally scrapped, and now the GLA has withdrawn the previously understood concession for the LEZ exempt machines.

"This is no way to gain the support of the plant rental industry in this important matter," he said.

IPAF managing director Tim Whiteman was concerned the move could have safety implications for workers on the Olympic and other large sites in London: "We are disappointed and concerned it will add significant cost to the use of larger powered access equipment and might result in less appropriate equipment being specified in the basis of cost."

Currently, there are three DPF manufacturers and five products registered on the Energy Savings Trust's website, but no installations have yet been approved. Marubeni Komatsu said it sees "little point" in registering the factory-fit DPF system it offers on its larger excavators with the EST.