Correct me if I'm wrong.

[190]

The only time cyclists produce zero emissions is when they are not being overtaken by other vehicles. I did my regular 10 mile trip in the car yesterday on a mix of 30/40/50mph roads. At one point a cycle track has been built at the expense of narrowing the road from 2 lanes to one causing huge queues. Cyclists probably increased my fuel consumption for that trip by10% with the inevitable increase in emissions.

There is no solution to any of the issues as long as cyclists and motor vehicles are mixed on the same narrow and fast roads. Cyclists would be safer and cleaner if they had dedicated cycle tracks but see above, Cycle lanes achieve very little unless the road is wide enough for other vehicles to overtake without swinging out against the flow of oncoming traffic. Even when there is the required amount of room you have all seen the timid driver that thinks 1.5metres is 10 ft and won't overtake a cyclist at all holding up everyone behind. To answer the OP's original question, it wouldn't matter if there was a rule about cyclists leaving 1.5 Metres when they overtake because they would ignore it and at the next traffic lights the cyclists would come up the inside and have to be overtaken all over again.

Nothing against cyclists at all but if you were designing a transport system today and did a risk assessment you wouldn't dream of mixing cyclists and motor vehicles on a busy narrow 50mph road.

 

[Dippo]

At one point a cycle track has been built at the expense of narrowing the road from 2 lanes to one causing huge queues. Cyclists probably increased my fuel consumption for that trip by10% with the inevitable increase in emissions.

That's Sadiq Khan's trick in London. He reduces road capacity for cars by installing underused bus and cycle lanes, thereby causing traffic jams and an increase in emissions from cars. Then he says the cars are causing high levels of emissions, and wants to impose a London-wide tax to reduce usage and therefore emissions, ignoring the fact that it was his changes to the roads that caused the increase in emissions.

 

[E55BOF]

It's not all bad. Next year the ULEZ extends to the M25, and I work at Heathrow, and the CLS350 is only Euro 5, so I needed a Euro 6 car, and I definitely don't want anything with Adblue, and I wanted another CLS SB, with a petrol engine, so really, I had no choice but to buy the 63.

 

[Larkone]

My understanding was ULEZ was going extend as far as the M25 but not include it.

 

[E55BOF]

That's correct, but Heathrow is entirely within the M25.

 

[Darrell]

In parts of Surrey it’s not going as far as the M25. Sadly, in north London it is.

 

[Darrell]

 

[PXW]

VED for a vehicle is based on its emissions. How much will a bicycle pay?

Based on a guy I followed a few years ago…working very hard cycling up a hill doing about 3mph - I’d say his personal CO2 output was considerable

 

[Dippo]

In parts of Surrey it’s not going as far as the M25. Sadly, in north London it is.

In a small part of Essex, it goes beyond the M25. Is there going to be a charge for vehicles passing through on the M25, or do they somehow not cause pollution on that particular stretch of the motorway?

 

[Darrell]

or do they somehow not cause pollution on that particular stretch of the motorway?

They might charge £12.50. Apparently that makes your dirty car much cleaner.

 

[Larkone]

In a small part of Essex, it goes beyond the M25. Is there going to be a charge for vehicles passing through on the M25, or do they somehow not cause pollution on that particular stretch of the motorway?

From TfL Lez site
All roads within Greater London, those at Heathrow and parts of the M1 and M4 are included. However, the M25 is not included (even where it passes within the GLA boundary).

 

[190]

All roads within Greater London, those at Heathrow and parts of the M1 and M4 are included. However, the M25 is not included (even where it passes within the GLA boundary).

Glad the M25 is not included. It would mean all qualifying traffic from up north passing London on the way down to Dover on the M25 would have to pay. That would be preposterous. I know they like to rake in the money but the revenue from the M25 would be an embarrassment. For the same Reason Manchester has excluded the M60/M62 even where it is well within the planned boundary for charges.

 

[Larkone]

Glad the M25 is not included. It would mean all qualifying traffic from up north passing London on the way down to Dover on the M25 would have to pay. That would be preposterous. I know they like to rake in the money but the revenue from the M25 would be an embarrassment. For the same Reason Manchester has excluded the M60/M62 even where it is well within the planned boundary for charges.

They do pay - Dartford crossing charge

 

[flying haggis]

Very stupidly on some weekends they set up "time trials" on these roads, whilst they are still open for public use and not marshalled. This in it's most basic form is approaching some form of Darwinian natural selection situation.

couldnt that be considered as "racing" on the public highway which is illegal so they should be fined?
they do similiar on the A11 in Norfolk when there is Snetterton race track just to one side of the same road!! but i suppose they might have to pay to hire the track whereas the road is "free"

 

[Darrell]

They do pay - Dartford crossing charge

Which I reckon that Mayor Kahn wants to get his grubby little hands on.

 

[flying haggis]

Which I reckon that Mayor Kahn wants to get his grubby little hands on.

well he has got to fund his TWO range rovers that he uses for official jaunts (and probably for personal as well..)

 

[ChrisHGTV]

couldnt that be considered as "racing" on the public highway which is illegal so they should be fined?
they do similiar on the A11 in Norfolk when there is Snetterton race track just to one side of the same road!! but i suppose they might have to pay to hire the track whereas the road is "free"

This is why time trials are run, rather than massed start events. Technically not classed as racing.

 

[Darrell]

This is why time trials are run, rather than massed start events. Technically not classed as racing.

Aren’t you racing against the clock?

 

[Darrell]

 

[markjay]

That's Sadiq Khan's trick in London. He reduces road capacity for cars by installing underused bus and cycle lanes, thereby causing traffic jams and an increase in emissions from cars. Then he says the cars are causing high levels of emissions, and wants to impose a London-wide tax to reduce usage and therefore emissions, ignoring the fact that it was his changes to the roads that caused the increase in emissions.

I am aware that this is a motoring forum, but at the risk of being pelted with eggs, I think that busy city centres should be made less welcoming to private cars, though this must be coupled with an efficient and affordable public transport system.

Here in London, I now travel to the office via the newly opened Elizabeth Line, it's very quick (quicker than driving to the office), clean, quiet, and air-conditioned.

But investing in public transport infrastructure costs billions and takes years - politicians (and often the public as well) prefer quick and cheap solutions.