A consortium of business and industry transport groups has called on Transport for London to reward them for being green.

The group made up of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, CBI, Confederation of Passenger Transport, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Freight Transport Association, London First, and the Road Haulage Association, has proposed that TFL gives commercial vehicles discounts on the London Congestion Charge if they meet certain emission standards.

Members say the discount would act as a good incentive for companies to invest in greener vehicles. It would also help them to counteract the cost of the proposed London Low Emission Zone scheme: a plan that would require vehicles of 3.5 tonnes and over to meet strict emission standards in order to enter London.

At present van and lorry operators pay up to £40 million a year for the congestion charge, and it is speculated the Low Emission Zone plan could cost the industry around £390 million each year.

With such high costs needed to upgrade and replace vehicles under the LEZ, the group says TFL needs to look at incentives where possible.

It says that while alternatively fuelled cars have up to a 100 per cent discount on the congestion charge, essential vehicles that have no choice but to deliver by road have no incentive.

The groups also says operators are also keen to see the back of the London Lorry Ban which restricts the usage of the London road network at night and the weekend. It says new vehicles are quieter and the extra mileage caused by the ban creates unnecessary pollution and that is completely counter to the aims of the Low Emission Zone.