The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has confirmed that the Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme has been relaunched as Logistics Emissions Reduction Scheme (LERS).

The new scheme continues the previous commitment of a 5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 on 2015 levels, and will shortly establish a further target for 2025. 

FTA’s environment policy manager Rebecca Kite said: "I am very excited to be involved in the relaunch of the new scheme and look forward to watching it develop. 

"The changes to air quality policy from Government will continue to challenge us, but I am confident that our members will continue to outperform industry as a whole and lead the way into a cleaner, greener future.”

The relaunched scheme now incorporates air quality performance as well as carbon, reflecting the priority that industry, Government and the public give this issue.  

At the end of 2016, 40% of members' HGVs were already Euro VI, compared to 28% across the whole industry, and they continue to lead the way in trialling alternatively-fuelled vehicles and technologies.

Between 2010 and 2015, members achieved a 7% reduction in tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions. 

Their average emissions are close to 13% lower per vehicle km than the trend for the wider logistics industry.

LERS is provided for the industry by FTA free of charge and is open to all companies with at least one commercial vehicle (HGV or van).