Haulage halves its NOx output in five years

Harmful NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions from trucks have halved in the last five years, according to new government statistics.

Recent Department for Transport figures show a 52% fall between 2013 and 2018 as haulage firms have upgraded to cleaner Euro VI lorries.

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) says that the trend is set to continue and projects that NOx emissions from HGVs will have reduced by more than 80% by the end of 2025.

But the RHA in its NOx Emission Assessment warns that many operators face an uncertain future as local authorities press on with plans which will see hauliers charged up to £100 per day to enter Clean Air Zones.

Lorries and buses account for a small, declining proportion of NOx emissions according to National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory data. Figures from 2015 show that the sectors were responsible for only 7.6% of NOx, whilst the share from other key sources such as ‘passenger cars’ and ‘combustion in industry’ were much higher.

View the RHA NOx Emission Assessment full report.