approves – All about car

Bristol City Council has approved plans for Britain’s first no-diesel zone in the city centre as part of a drive to improve air quality in the area. The so-called Clean Air Zone, to be implemented in 2021, has been devised as a means of delivering “the fastest possible improvement in air quality against targets for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) legal limits”, according to the council. The measures will see privately-owned diesel vehicles banned from entering a designated section of the city centre between 7am and 3pm every day. A wider charging zone would be in constant operation for high-emission commercial vehicles, with vans and taxis facing a £9 fee and buses and taxis facing a £100 fee for entering it. The announcement comes two years after Bristol City Council was ordered by the government to produce a plan for bringing the area’s NO2 levels to within legal limits. It has been suggested that the Clean Air Zone could help to achieve this by 2025. The proposal still needs government approval, however. Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said: “These ambitious plans demonstrate our commitment to tackling air pollution so we meet legal limits within the shortest time, without disproportionally affecting citizens on lower incomes, which would happen with a blanket approach to charging vehicles. “Protecting the most vulnerable people from pollution is central to these plans and we have ensured that all impacts have been carefully considered. If approved, mitigation measures will support those most affected, especially those living in the most deprived communities.” Nicholas Lyes, head of policy at the RAC, said the planned restrictions could have an adverse affect on roads elsewhere: “Major routes into, out of, and even around the city – like Temple Way and Brunel Way – would become out of bounds, with diesel vehicles forced onto other roads, which risks causing congestion problems where they don’t exist at the moment.” He also called attention to the fact that “drivers of diesel cars who are locked into finance packages may face a significant penalty to exit their contract early”, and suggested that drivers of older vehicles could be forced into upgrading at significant cost. SMMT boss Mike Hawes echoed the RAC’s concerns, adding that “this proposed blanket ban, which goes against government’s guidelines, fails to distinguish between modern vehicles and decades-old technologies and will only cause confusion for drivers while also undermining efforts to boost air quality”. The predicted cost of implementation of the scheme totals £113.5 million, with comprehensive upgrades to the city’s ANPR network, road marking and signage necessary to its successful operation. The final business case is due to be submitted to government in February next
Origin: Bristol City Council approves first UK ban for diesel cars

PSA Peugeot Citroen Chief Executive Carlos Tavares delivers a speech during the presentation of the companys 2018 full year results, in Rueil Malmaison, west of Paris, Tuesday, February 26, 2019.Thibault Camus / Getty The board of French carmaker PSA Group has approved a plan to merge with Italian-American rival Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, a combination that would create one of the worlds largest auto manufacturers, according to people familiar with the matter.The new board would be made up of 11 members, with six from the PSA side including Chief Executive Officer Carlos Tavares, who will lead the new company. Fiat Chairman John Elkann would take the same role at the enlarged group.Fiat Chryslers directors are scheduled to meet later Wednesday to discuss the proposal, the people said. The plan authorized by PSAs board calls for negotiations of a binding memorandum of understanding that could last several weeks, said one of the people. A representative for PSA, the maker of Peugeot and Citroen cars, declined to comment. A Fiat spokesman wasnt immediately available to comment.A merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA, the No. 2 for car sales in Europe, would create a regional powerhouse to rival Volkswagen, with a stock-market value of about US$49 billion comparable to Japans Honda. The tie-up would also bring together two auto-making dynasties, the billionaire Agnelli clan in Italy and the Peugeot family of France.The merger plan comes several months after Fiat Chrysler and PSA explored a partnership on pooling investment to build cars in Europe, and following the collapse in June of negotiations between the Fiat and French competitor Renault SA.Automakers face tremendous pressure to pool their resources for platform development, manufacturing and purchasing as they battle through trade wars, a global slowdown and an expensive shift toward electrification and autonomous driving. Producers face the additional burden in Europe of new rules on emissions.Against this backdrop, the pace of dealmaking has picked up. Volkswagen in July said it will work with Ford on electric and self-driving car technology, while Toyota is strengthening ties with partners such as Subaru and Chinas BYD. The Indian conglomerate that owns Jaguar Land Rover has said its open to finding partners for the British automaker but isnt planning on selling the embattled unit.Tavares has sought to re-establish Peugeots foothold in the U.S., a market it exited in 1991. He set plans earlier this year for a return, with shipments starting from Europe or China in 2026.Fiat Chrysler is seen as a laggard in new technologies such as electrification and autonomy, which are expected to cost automakers billions of dollars over the next decade.The company has sought to secure its future with a larger partner for several years, dating back to late CEO Sergio Marchionnes failed courtship of General Motors. After being rebuffed by GM in 2015, rumors of talks with other automakers have swirled with varying
Origin: Peugeot board approves Fiat Chrysler merger plans, says report