The arrival of Clean Air Zones across the UK could signal a significant rise in the numbers of Penalty Charge Notices generated by fleets.

While the initial emissions standards enforced by most CAZs are not onerous, they are likely to spread and increase in the coming years, causing more PCNS to be issued.

Tim Meadows, commercial director, said: “It is very likely that the introduction of the CAZs is just the leading edge of local measures to curb transport-based emissions that will grow relatively quickly in terms of the rules applied as well as geographically.

“In addition to this, the London Ultra Low Emissions Zone is going to undoubtedly create PCN issues for some fleets operating in the capital – and is probably already doing so.”

He added that there was also evidence that the charges and fines processed by fleets could be increased over the next few years by more stringent enforcement of speeding.

“Certainly, we seem to be entering an era when police forces are looking to get tougher on speeding and, again, this is likely to create more paperwork for fleets to handle.”

Tim explained that these kinds of increases would compound a problem that was already a source of major frustration for fleets.

“The fact is that fines and PCNs are a substantial issue for many fleets in terms of the costs associated with processing and the time lost in administration. Any increase in volume is an issue.”

He said that, in response to this situation, fleets had two possible solutions – to crack down on drivers who generate charges and fines, and to get better at processing them.

“We are already seeing signs that some fleets are getting tougher on their drivers, especially when it comes to repeat offenders, and this strategy makes sense.

“What we are also encountering is greater interest in the processing of PCNs and fines, and identifying ways in which they can be handled faster and at a lower cost.”

Tim said that we have been approached by several fleets to look into methods of doing this and there appeared to be ways in which our technology could be effectively applied.

“This is still in its infancy but, as a business, we have a successful track record in this kind of process improvement and we believe that there are better ways to handle fines and charges than are currently being used.”