Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

My car is one of those which has very low emissions so no Vehicle Excise Duty is required. However, this morning I received by post a letter from Transport for London (TFL) advising that the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is expanding from 25 October 2021 and my vehicle could be one that may not be exempt, due to it no longer meeting emission regulations.

I live well outside London and haven't been to London in the last 35 years but I guess as my car is of the type registered I have to be informed of the change. With the economy as it is – possibly bankrupt – why this cannot be done in a cheaper way, via the internet or TV or press advertising for example I just cannot understand.

That aside I thought other members on OFF might be interested to know about this change as some may at times visit London. Plus how the government is wasting even more of our taxes, which they soon will, or already have, run out of.

Perhaps this is why it will, from the date above, cost £12.50 per day (£87.50 per week) to drive into the ULEZ:

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ult...where-and-when

Re: Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

I used to park up somewhere, like Richmond, and go in by train.

Trouble is, these days, the cost of parking, and rail tickets, wipes that out as an option.

i guess that those on outer & inner London allowance salaries are helped, but someone has to pay for it!

London is off my travel plans.

Re: Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

When I worked in London it was permanent night shifts so missed the parking regulations, which helped as it was difficult getting home by train. Now though with this ULEZ it's operational 24/7 weekends too, just on Christmas Day it doesn't apply.

Who is going to pay for the delivery vans and lorries using this area to deliver goods like food etc. or those trades who use vans in the course of their work to repair or supply services such as electricians and plumbers?

I know London quite well, the new area is enormous and includes many areas where people live too. Not just the wealthy in Bayswater etc. but ordinary people in the outer areas.

I guess it will be the ordinary citizen who, at the end of the day, will pay the bill for all this. Not all citizens and traders will be able to afford electric vehicles and that is what this will finish up as, electric vehicles only.

Re: Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

They should inform every car owner in the country of the area where the restrictions cover then by post and pay back that amount from the road tax for the time spent in the restricted area

Re: Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

I don't think I'll be going to London in my Panda any time soon.

Re: Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

Sydney now has many toll roads but no congestion charge

For example to drive the length of the M7 (40km) is about $8.50 (£4.25) so they get you anyway. I used to avoid the toll roads but now I take them because they are so much quicker (not that I have used one since Covid).



https://www.linkt.com.au/using-toll-...culator/sydney

Re: Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

The ownership of Roads is a conceptual problem, to me, since everyone who pays Tax, in the UK, pays for those Roads.

The Government uses our tax money, to pay for those roads, and maintain them.

OK so far!

Then someone, like London, puts a price on our usage of our own roads, and rips off the entire population by making them pay even more for the privilege of going in there to spend our money at their stores, theatres, etc.

What suckers we are!

Re: Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

Think only twice
Wild horses and the offer of a million pounds would not persuade me to drive to London. I hate the place full of dirt and people...

Re: Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

Ditto. We stopped visiting London before we moved from Hertford to Worcester. Even then we used to go in by train.

Re: Driving into London? Think twice before doing so …

My car has CO2 of 84gms/km (80mpg), but even so I have no intention of driving into any part of London.
It had been mooted that London like charges were to be introduced to Chichester, but as the city relies on the car for shopping trade etc and car park charges, second thoughts were applied.