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London to trial ban on non-electrified vehicles

The City of London will ban non-electrified vehicles from one of its streets in a trial starting next April.

The City of London has confirmed it will ban non-electrified vehicles from driving on one of its inner-city streets from April next year, with the success of the trial to determine if it is expanded to other roads in the British capital.

The ban will see the south end of Moor Lane in London's business district only allow vehicles that emit no or extremely low levels of greenhouse emissions, such as those with hybrid and battery-electric powertrains.

Many European cities have announced plans for zero-emissions motoring by certain dates, but the London trial is the first of these plans to become a reality.

The City of London Corporation is still determining if the ban will apply at all times of the day, or only during peak hour.

Plans are in place to increase the number of zero-emissions roads in the business district by 2022.

For the first month of the trial, drivers of non-electrified vehicles that drive on the sanctioned road will be given a written warning. From the second month onwards, fines will be issued.

City of London deputy mayor for the environment and energy Shirley Rodrigues explained that the trial is expected to lower the city's harmful pollution levels.

"We are funding innovative projects like this because they are vital to encourage more Londoners to switch to ultra-low and zero-emission vehicles and help tackle the capital's toxic air," she said.

The City of London has already attempted to reduce its pollution levels, having banned diesel vehicles in its fleets and fined drivers who leave engines idling unnecessarily.

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