Anyone affected by the new expanded ULEZ zone and how do you feel about it?

[Cycleops]

So it's now going to expand out from Uxbridge to Upminster and Stanmore to Surbiton.
A genuine attempt to improve air quality in the capital or a cynical cash grabbing exercise to pick the pockets of the poor motorist and help bolster the finances of cash strapped London?

 

[wafter]

I was pleasantly surprised to find that my 20 year old Civic is Ulez-compliant.. while I have sympathy for those driving older / classic vehicles who might get stung for charges, who else is going to have to pay? Seems like it's only going to be commercial vehicles and with consumption-driven pollution being such a legitimate issue, I don't see a problem..

I'd certainly support sky-high charges for all the knobheads who have no problem with sitting in London traffic in their 10mpg Chelsea tractors..

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I have a Civic as well - but on;y 12 years old

still impressed that is has had no problems with E10 petrol and now I find it is fine in the ULEZ

I presume the Manchester one will be the same when/if it ever gets approved

I have to support anything that reduces pollution around where people live and work but I do worry about accidentally driving into one without realising and not knowing what to do or even if I have to do anything!

 

[Arrowfoot]

With car population and usage increasing, the outcome is not unexpected. The pricing model will gradually shift from ownership to road usage.

 

[Cycleops]

I'd certainly support sky-high charges for all the knobheads who have no problem with sitting in London traffic in their 10mpg Chelsea tractors..

But presumably the knobheads in their RRs etc will be able to afford it so won't make any difference to them?

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I have to support anything that reduces pollution around where people live and work but I do worry about accidentally driving into one without realising and not knowing what to do or even if I have to do anything!

This happened to me a couple of months ago, I was lambasted on here for saying I felt cheated that I had inadvertently entered the ULEZ whilst taking my nephew back home, bearing in mind I hadn't driven into London for 20+ years, I was dropping hime off outside the ULEZ but I didn't realise by taking the road I did I would for around a minute be inside the ULEZ. Lesson learnt, drive down the same road the other way & not drop inside the ULEZ, however probably now it will be included in the new zone.

With regards to Manchester again another rare journey on Monday night saw me use the M60/M56 as I went past Stockport towards Chester, would that bit of road be included & how are drivers going to be informed?

But presumably the knobheads in their RRs etc will be able to afford it so won't make any difference to them?

Is that not part of the whole issue, I raised it before on the other thread, a city in Italy made a rule that you could only enter the city on specific days if your car registration was an odd number, other days an even number, all that happened was the rich went out & bought another car for each person in the family.

 

[wafter]

But presumably the knobheads in their RRs etc will be able to afford it so won't make any difference to them?

Such is the case with so many other facets of our society though, no?

The rich can often buy their way out of many situations that would screw mere mortals, but if not serving as much of a deterrant for those for whom cost is immaterial, at least taxing the worst offending vehicles would bring in extra revenue from those who can most afford it.

While charges for driving in a city full-stop is certainly a thorny subject, heavily taxing the use of vehicles that are, by any metric grossly inappropriate for use in such an environment should be an easy win.

 

[tom73]

It's got to happen it's madness allowing ever growing traffic into town and city centres and out laying areas. With road networks that carve up high streets disputing footfall and making people less likely to wonder and spend more money. Helping local economy and providing a more pleasant environment all round. Add it every increasing air quality and the cost on health and well-being. It's a win but only a start but nothing like hitting the pocket to encourage more to it think and see thing need to change.
Way more thinking and action needs to happen it's no longer a choice.

 

[Chap sur le velo]

I think we have to say this has been a great success and the extension is overdue.

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-london-air-pollution-since-2016-report-finds

I live in inner London and know of three old bangers that were scrapped as a result.

Those who see this as a further tax on the poor should reflect that the residents living in the busiest and most polluted streets are not the highest earners in their area. As you move further from the centre you generally move further down the economic scale. It's the new areas to be included which are currently the most polluted areas in London.

The benefits to health will be huge.

Those with old non conforming vehicles? Definitely time to get on your 🚲 😎

 

[ClichéGuevara]

I think we have to say this has been a great success and the extension is overdue.

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-london-air-pollution-since-2016-report-finds

I live in inner London and know of three old bangers that were scrapped as a result.

Those who see this as a further tax on the poor should reflect that the residents living in the busiest and most polluted streets are not the highest earners in their area. As you move further from the centre you generally move further down the economic scale. It's the new areas to be included which are currently the most polluted areas in London.

The benefits to health will be huge.

Those with old non conforming vehicles? Definitely time to get on your 🚲 😎

It's a bit cheeky to claim that it's down to Khan and ULEZ, given areas without either have also improved.

 

[Sallar55]

Has any had the car or van cloned. Bradfords new zone picked my van up , I was up in Mill camping when it was picked up on the cameras,,a phone call sorted the issue.

 

[Baldy]

As a resident of rural Scotland I haven't been into London for over thirty years. But, should I happen to suffer a hissy-fit and decide to drive there, what do I have to do?

 

[ClichéGuevara]

As a resident of rural Scotland I haven't been into London for over thirty years. But, should I happen to suffer a hissy-fit and decide to drive there, what do I have to do?

Lay down until the feeling passes.

 

[Cycleops]

As a resident of rural Scotland I haven't been into London for over thirty years. But, should I happen to suffer a hissy-fit and decide to drive there, what do I have to do?

Oil the rusty zip on your purse and be prepared to open it multiple times.

 

[wafter]

I think we have to say this has been a great success and the extension is overdue.

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-london-air-pollution-since-2016-report-finds

I live in inner London and know of three old bangers that were scrapped as a result.

Those who see this as a further tax on the poor should reflect that the residents living in the busiest and most polluted streets are not the highest earners in their area. As you move further from the centre you generally move further down the economic scale. It's the new areas to be included which are currently the most polluted areas in London.

The benefits to health will be huge.

Those with old non conforming vehicles? Definitely time to get on your 🚲 😎

That's a fantastic result - certainly can't argue with those figures.

However...


The assessment metric is Nitrogen dioxide, which I believe is associated with combustion at high pressures - i.e. Diesels. As such this shows that the offending vehicles relative to this study will typically be busses and commercial haulage wagons.. the scrapped "old bangers" would likely have contributed very little to reducing the pollution in this context - especially if they were petrol.

Also, while I'm absolutely all for doing any journey you can on a bike; we all know that sometimes this isn't possible for practical reasons, so some car use is inevitable for most of us. I guess the trick is striking a balance between a sensibly low impact on legit drivers and discouraging / punishing those who could reasonably use other modes of transport but choose not to.