"We were horrified to learn of proposed plans to fine the vehicle operator a daily charge of between £500 and £1000 for non-compliance," said RHA Director of Policy, Karen Dee.

"The original thought was that older vehicles not meeting the new emission standards would be charged to enter the Zone or banned from it altogether. But these fines are non-negotiable. The compliance costs, together with the enforcement costs this action will incurr will be exhorbitant compared to the actual percentage of vehicles that this particular legislation would apply to. Currently, of all vehicle movement within the Greater London Area, heavy goods vehicles only account for 4%.

"The end does not justify the means. We recognize that Mr Livingstone has air quality targets that must be met. However, the penalites he is proposing for the particular transport sector on which London depends more than any other, represent a simple case of discrimination against the commercial freight sector "a situation which the Road Haulage Association finds unacceptable and will continue to fight."