Britain’s first low emissions zone came into force in London today in a bid to clean up one of Europe’s most polluted cities.
The most heavily polluting lorries now face charges of £200 to enter Greater London and firms which fail to pay will be fined £1,000.
The scheme uses fixed and mobile cameras to check the registration plates of all lorries over 12-tonnes as they drive within the zone.
This will then be checked against a database of registered vehicles which meet the LEZ emissions standards.
These are exempt from the charge or are registered for a 100 per cent discount.
The rules will be extended to cover buses and coaches in July.
The LEZ will be in force 24 hours a day, including weekends, and covers an area of 610 sq miles.
Transport for London argues that London’s poor air quality adversely affects the health of many people who live in the city, causing health problems such as asthma.
If the scheme is deemed successful many cities in the UK and Europe are expected to follow suit.
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