UK Cities to introduce Toxin Tax. Could X-1R be of any help?

Er…Mr Khan, perhaps we could be of help.

A decade after drivers in the UK were encouraged to drive diesel-burning cars, local and national governments are set to make an abrupt U-turn and introduce a Toxin Tax on any vehicle that is not Euro 4 compliant. Initially, motorists were encouraged to convert to diesel power due to concerns over carbon emissions. But the resulting particulate pollution has shot up, making some UK cities - London, in particular - amongst the worst in the world for air pollution at times.

The Toxin Tax will impact the owners of up to 10 million older diesels who will face additional fees of up to GBP20 per day to drive into urban areas. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said, “The air in the city of London is lethal and I will not stand by and do nothing” as he revealed plans to charge polluting diesels GBP24 per day to enter the city. Even drivers of Euro 5 and 6 cars will not be spared, as the City Council introduces its Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) and they will have to pay an extra GBP12.50; for your information, the Ulez covers the same areas as the old congestion charge zone.

Some motoring organizations have been quick to leap the defence of motorists, citing that a reduction in congestion would be a neat way to reduce pollution. A recent report conducted by Imperial College found that diesel-fuelled cars driving over speed humps produce 98% more nitrogen dioxide and has subsequently called for traffic-calming measures, such as speed humps and chicanes to be removed from school areas in what has to be one of the most counter-intuitive safety initiatives ever.

Of course there are other ways to reduce the potentially cancer-causing emissions from diesels. A recent report carried out in the US of A by Dr Mike Nelson of the Utah University, using a live test with one of the biggest private trucking fleets in the world, proved that by using a combination of X-1R products, fuel economy could be increased by up to 12%, with a subsequent reduction in NOx of over 30%. See: Five Things You Didn’t Know About an Emerging Green Technology. Another test with a school bus fleet, also in the US of A, showed the ability of X-1R to reduce the particulate emissions whilst idling by a significant proportion. Perhaps London needs X-1R.

Isn’t it time someone told Sadiq Khan about X-1R?

Typically, in the late Autumn, the weather becomes cold and very still in the UK. Vehicle emissions and the fumes from wood-burning stoves - yes, there are still about 1 million houses that use wood for fuel in the UK - build up and create a toxic haze across much of the country.