Pollution charges

[Harvey1512]

Ian - My head is currently about to explode reading your post. I'm in Morpeth and the town is being damaged by the over building of houses, it is a free for all. Putting in a congestion charge is plain cobblers. The area has mild congestion at peak times but otherwise nothing. Anyone from a big city would laugh at what we consider rush hour up here. It is tax raising and nothing else.

If I was a retail shop in these areas I would despair, it could end quite a number. Great news for the Metro Centre. Buy shares in the company owning that.

[volvocat]

Originally Posted by Whippy

The next stage is to extend this to the rest of London, this means that literally millions of families will now have to pay through the nose just to hang on to their family cars. The mantra is "either buy a new zero emissions car, walk or cycle, or use public transport."
We know how poor public transport is, so this policy will disadvantage, even penalize poorer families, the old and the infirm. There are already calls to extend this 'scheme' to the rest of Britain. Welcome to the urban elites Utopia.

At least in London you are exempt from the charges if you are registered disabled with a car classified Disabled (or maybe just a blue badge holder, can’t remember if both qualify)
However, the point about other cities maybe not being so helpful is a potential concern.

[Marty Dolomite]

Originally Posted by SignumGB

I honestly don't know how people can live and survive in London. An inept Mayor, sky rocketing knife crime, lack of services, lack of Police and to rub salt into the wounds, this new ULEZ. I live in Edinburgh and the bar stewards who run London have given the 'Clowncil' up here the idea of introducing something like this.

Southampton was going to do the same but we seemed to have a sensible MP who very actively got the scheme kicked out.

[DaveNP]

I have to say as my friends and I walked across Tower Bridge today we couldn't really detect a lessening of the exhaust fumes, but maybe that's because the ULEZ boundary doesn't actually include Tower Bridge.

[ThomasG]

Originally Posted by volvocat

At least in London you are exempt from the charges if you are registered disabled with a car classified Disabled (or maybe just a blue badge holder, can’t remember if both qualify)
However, the point about other cities maybe not being so helpful is a potential concern.

Not for long, I`m afraid..
Even blue badge holders have some 2 years (worth checking how long precisely) before exemption expires and they are forced to either pay the charge and possibly feed themselves with air or change the method of transport.. so in the end- feed themselves with air..
No matter how clean- there wont be many calories in it..

[tofufi]

For those people worried about classic cars being exempt (but not showing as such on the checker website), I emailed TfL. Their reply included the wording:

Please note that our VRM checker only checks the emission standard of the vehicle and will not state if your vehicle is exempt, unless you try to pay the charge to drive in the zone.

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by ThomasG

Well..

I don't really know about the corridor,but two or three days ago I paid a penalty..

What happened was: I approached the zone from north, in Marylebone area, with intention of just skimming the edge of the zone (remaining outside), but...

There were roadworks, and temporary sign "no right turn"
So I had to go straight.

On the next trafgic lights I was faced with a choice:
To go left, into a one-way against the traffic
To go straight into the zone
Or go right into the zone!

I went right, right again, left onto the road outside the zone (back onto my route)

I rang TFL within an hour of it happening.
They told me that

A) their cameras do NOT register reg plates... (Oh... And the sky is purple, isn't it?)
B) I won't be charged.

Few days later..

£80.

If I pay immediately.

Much more if I delay.

Nothing to do with emissions, as my car seems to comply with the standards. This was only for the C-charge.

But nevertheless.. I don't see their approach as "user friendly"..

It’s daylight robbery. A while back I wasn’t sure if I’d strayed into the C-Zone so I called em and they said they couldn’t check so I’d better pay it just in case.... Bring back Dick Turpin, all is forgiven.

TT

[AndyJudge]

Originally Posted by Harvey1512

Ian - My head is currently about to explode reading your post. I'm in Morpeth and the town is being damaged by the over building of houses, it is a free for all. Putting in a congestion charge is plain cobblers. The area has mild congestion at peak times but otherwise nothing. Anyone from a big city would laugh at what we consider rush hour up here. It is tax raising and nothing else.

If I was a retail shop in these areas I would despair, it could end quite a number. Great news for the Metro Centre. Buy shares in the company owning that.

Agree Whoever on the council suggested such a scheme must come from a different planet to the rest of us that live here.

Rush Hour in Newcastle is one of the few cities I visit that lasts - an hour (maybe an hour & a half). Have the council factored in that introducing a £12.50 a day charge will mean people will use places such as the Metro Centre for shopping, killing off shops in the city centre & what about all the council operated car parks that will no longer be earning them revenue ?.

The proposed zone includes the some of the main routes over the Tyne, look what happened with the traffic at the Tyne Tunnel when they were carrying out roadworks at Heworth, the tunnel became gridlocked around Jarrow & back down to Testos Roundabout (4 miles of queues) which I'm sure generated more pollution in the rush hour than free moving traffic over the Tyne, Swing & Redhugh bridges.


I wish these people thinking up such schemes would come down from the council offices & look at the real world.


I'm lucky in that I live on a Metro line so can get into the city on public transport easily but I feel for those like Harvey & Ian that don't have that option.

[kenny]

Edinburgh has just announced that their planned charge for the city centre will now cover the whole city. Petrol cars must be euro 4 onwards and all diesel cars must be Euro 6.

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by kenny

Edinburgh has just announced that their planned charge for the city centre will now cover the whole city. Petrol cars must be euro 4 onwards and all diesel cars must be Euro 6.

Blimey, that’s strict.