Nobody really enjoys having to drive into and around our major cities. Sometimes, there is no choice. Appointments have to be kept, collections have to be made, goods have to be delivered, services have to be supplied. However much we might try to avoid the driving chore, or just want to be greener than Kermit, public transport is not always the answer.

So, most of the cars and vans clogging up our city streets are there for good reasons. Many of them, of course, are powered by diesel engines. While they may have been chosen for their economy, they do deliver other benefits. They pump out less CO2 than the petrol-powered equivalents, for one thing. That has to be good news, surely?

Well, maybe. As most people now realise, thanks to Volkswagen, diesels do emit more NOx. So, when the government wants a quick fix to pollution problems, you can guess where they look first. DEFRA has been looking at the state of the nation’s air and not liking what it finds. In some areas, drastic action is required if the UK is to meet EU targets for 2020.

If anyone is unsure what constitutes, ‘drastic action,’ they have only to look at DEFRA’s latest proposals. The government has compiled a hit-list of cities that it will encourage and support to become Clean Air Zones. There is, as always, a Big Idea at the heart of the plan. Simply, diesel-powered vans and cars would find their access restricted, to use the official language. It is not clear whether this will mean an outright ban, or whether the kindly politicians are merely planning to price businesses off the city streets. Whatever the intention, the result will not have anyone reaching for the champagne. Watch this space.

Meanwhile, as we are on the subject, take a look at the new online flip-book from The Green Journey. Most fleet managers will find something new and useful among its clear guidance on improving fleet sustainability. Read it, free, here.