A third of fleet managers do not have a clean air strategy in place

According to new research from BT Fleet Solutions and the AA, a third of fleet managers currently don’t have a strategy in place to make their fleet ready for the 2020 launch of clean air zones.

Around half of those cited lack of clarity and information as the reasons why, while four in five fleet managers say the government’s current strategy hasn’t considered the impact that policies will have on businesses.

Henry Brace, managing director of BT Fleet Solutions, comments: “The government’s clean air agenda is front of mind for fleet managers and is something which informs their short, medium and long-term planning. 91 per cent of fleet managers running larger fleets are supportive of the changes but remain sceptical of the way they are being brought about.”

But with one in four fleet managers stating they will simply relocate their older vehicles to avoid the clean air zones, and one in five suggesting they will just pay the fines imposed against their fleets –  such action will limit the effectiveness of clean air zones from the start.

The report points out, fleet operators believe that clean air doesn’t just have to mean alternative fuel. Three quarters of fleet managers surveyed agreed that ‘diesel vehicles produce fewer harmful emissions than ever before’ and that ‘diesel vehicles have an unfair reputation for producing harmful emissions’.

Industry experts agree that the government is putting new regulations into place without a fully understood and communicated long-term strategy on clean air. The research also shows that there is room for better publicity around specific plans, the potential implications for the operational fleet industry, as well as wider advice for fleet managers on how they can meet the challenges of 2020 compliance.

This year's Operational Fleet Report was jointly created by BT Fleet Solutions and the AA. Independent research consultancy Populus spoke to more than 500 fleet decision makers and 16 industry experts to gain insight into two of the key issues facing Businesses with fleet operations – clean air and alternative fuels.

To download a digital copy of the report, visit: fleetsolutions.bt.com/insight