Stop expanding the ULEZ to all the London boroughs in 2023

[Darrell]

I don't think so because I think British society is so compliant as whole, but driving around in London and seeing the number of non-compliant cars, I do think perhaps lots of people have been burying their heads in the sand (or simply can't afford to switch) and are going to be in a shock on the 28th and onwards

I’m driving from North London to Oxford and North London to Brighton now on a daily basis and I’m still seeing a huge amount of non compliant vehicles.

 

[Darrell]

Not such a terrible thing

Until it goes against you.

 

[Darrell]

If people don't like the law as it stands they should stand for public office and change it

Perhaps they have. Who knows?

 

[Dryce]

If people don't like the law as it stands they should stand for public office and change it, futile shouting into the wind seems rather pointless.

Easy to say.

Shouting isn't always futile in a democracy.

And the problem with politics is the incumbency of parties and the separation of interests and policy across a divide that doesn't necessarily match well with individual voters.

In Scotland we have a minority government bound to an extremist minority green party which wins what is effectively incumbent representation from the list system. A warning about how what should be better voting systems offering better representation can either inadvertently or by political gaming lock the many into philosophies of the few.

 

[Dryce]

I don't think so because I think British society is so compliant as whole, but driving around in London and seeing the number of non-compliant cars, I do think perhaps lots of people have been burying their heads in the sand (or simply can't afford to switch) and are going to be in a shock on the 28th and onwards

For some it's just an extra charge to be paid.

If I was travelling down to London for a week and taking my car then I'd just grit my teeth and pay it. The costs of alternatives in terms of money and flexibility and convenience over the whole journey/stay would probably be more costly. Doing that three or four times a year would be practical regardless of the rights or wrongs of the whole thing..

Different matter if resident and affected daily.

 

[markjay]

I don't think so because I think British society is so compliant as whole, but driving around in London and seeing the number of non-compliant cars, I do think perhaps lots of people have been burying their heads in the sand (or simply can't afford to switch) and are going to be in a shock on the 28th and onwards

That, or perhaps they are not Londoners and are simply planning to avoid driving their cars into London after the 28th?

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

I think assuming they're all out-of-towners is a bit far fetched. I see several people in my parent's close that still have non-compliant cars, though I don't know them to ask what their plans are. I suspect they'll eventually take some photos and stick them on auto trader, ebay etc for a huge loss, or perhaps they'll trade them in. The affluence of the area will likely heavily influence the approach taken...

Much more likely that the cherry picked '90%' statistic is a nonsense and that people can't afford to change or haven't taken it seriously enough that it's happening.

I'll be driving back to London next week to drop off the mk4 Golf that I've been repairing to give to my elderly dad and take away his E350 to Cardiff and sell it from there.

 

[Harrythedog]

I don’t think so because the ULEZ is a London thing.

The Poll Tax riots was countrywide and therefore affected millions more people.

Seeing that most people appear to dislike Londoners the rest of the U.K. is probably glad we’ve got it and probably are secretly laughing at us!!

They want to be careful though.

Very true, if one council can get away with it the others will do it. I’m sure they all go to the same conference and get the same instructions as to what initiate. Local transport hubs seem to be in vogue

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Edit: never mind...

 

[Pontoneer]

For some it's just an extra charge to be paid.

If I was travelling down to London for a week and taking my car then I'd just grit my teeth and pay it. The costs of alternatives in terms of money and flexibility and convenience over the whole journey/stay would probably be more costly. Doing that three or four times a year would be practical regardless of the rights or wrongs of the whole thing..

Different matter if resident and affected daily.

I wish it was just an extra charge to be paid up here .

I'm furious that Scotland's LEZs don't offer the option to pay a tenner or so for non compliant cars to enter for a day .

As it stands , we get slapped with a £60 fine ( unless I have an excuse to enter on Fire Service Business ) and MB Glasgow is just 100 yds inside the Zone ( but Cowcaddens Fire Station is just around the corner ) so I can't take my W124 in until it turns 30 next year , at which point it will be exempt ; meanwhile I will have to go to MB Ayr to buy parts , being the only other dealer near me which carries reasonable stock of classic parts .

I've already complained to my MSP about this and about the alliance with the Greens , which caused me to resign from the SNP when they made their pact , and I know I'm far from alone .

I've only been to London once this year , drove to Huntingdon as I had something else to do there , and got the train into London , then tube to Soho . For a single journey it was both quick and inexpensive . However , I previously went into Glasgow with the car a few times a year , particularly if my daughter was attending music gigs finishing late and needed picked up - now I have to be careful to avoid the forbidden zone if going to The Hydro , O2 Academy or Barrowland ; and I can't run her up to Queen St to catch the last train home if not too late , not that i mind running her home to Falkirk .

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

You should simply stand for public office and change the law

 

[markjay]

I wish it was just an extra charge to be paid up here .

I'm furious that Scotland's LEZs don't offer the option to pay a tenner or so for non compliant cars to enter for a day...

Down here in London, where you can pay a daily charge (£12.50) to drive a non-compliant car into ULEZ, one of the complaints against it is that 'pay to pollute' makes no sense and it's proof that the Mayor cares more about generating revenues than about residents' health.

 

[Pontoneer]

You should simply stand for public office and change the law

I might consider it after I retire , but not while I still work full time

 

[Pontoneer]

Down here in London, where you can pay a daily charge (£12.50) to drive a non-compliant car into ULEZ, one of the complaints against it is that 'pay to pollute' makes no sense and it's proof that the Mayor cares more about generating revenues than about residents' health.

I can understand locals feeling that way , but people who do not live there and who only need to drive in a handful of times a year , such as taking their cars to the dealerships , even if only for something like ordering keys , where you have to take the car in , feel quite differently . As it is , I can live without going into Glasgow and I can get what I need elsewhere , so it is the city which is losing my business , not the other way around .

As city based businesses close down because customers are driven away , so the city will die off .

 

[Tonygw]

Maybe in Glasgow you could accidently drive through some mud and that mud accidently fell onto both your number plates on the way to the MB dealer..

Of course you would do your best to make sure they were clean and readable.. at your earliest convenience.. ;-)

 

[TC350]

I can understand locals feeling that way , but people who do not live there and who only need to drive in a handful of times a year , such as taking their cars to the dealerships , even if only for something like ordering keys , where you have to take the car in , feel quite differently . As it is , I can live without going into Glasgow and I can get what I need elsewhere , so it is the city which is losing my business , not the other way around .

As city based businesses close down because customers are driven away , so the city will die off .

Are the numbers of non-compliant cars sufficient to make a significant impact on businesses by staying away?

 

[davymead]

I’m driving from North London to Oxford and North London to Brighton now on a daily basis and I’m still seeing a huge amount of non compliant vehicles.

It does make you wonder just how many large, newish, very expensive diesel vehicles there are still out there.
A simple straw poll on the very overpopulated Island at the moment indicates an overwhelming percentage.

 

[davymead]

I suspect they'll eventually take some photos and stick them on auto trader, ebay etc for a huge loss, or perhaps they'll trade them in. The affluence of the area will likely heavily influence the approach taken...

Any ‘desirable’ vehicles will be snapped up with glee, particularly if any affluent Londoners want to give them away.
I know one trader in particular (I’m sure there’s plenty more) who’s rubbing his hands already at the thought.
It’s only about money after all.

 

[Alex225]

All I can say on this topic is, thanks f*ck I move house in the next month or so!!

I'm 100m within the most southern part of this expansion, they have put cameras along every road exiting a fairly small area containing nothing but houses and two schools. For me to leave the end of my road which has 15 houses along it, it will cost me £12.50 and I have no intention of driving anywhere into the zone, I just want to leave! My other half will be paying £25 for every night shift she does and working at a charity for kids with brain injuries, it doesn't pay huge wages.

Scrap a 2011 ML350cdi that cost us £13k 18+ months ago? Not really an option is it but it'll cost us to sell it and buy something else if we chose to.

I think what frustrates many local people is that we're not in a built up area, outer edges of London Boroughs don't all have buses and trains on the doorstep either. So many outside of the M25 think everywhere within it, is some built up metropolis with tube stations round every corner.

I'm just glad to be moving 120 miles away to the middle of nowhere in Gloucestershire! At least avoid the inevitable road pricing that will be coming once the 'pay to pollute' income starts to dry up anyway.

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

It does make you wonder just how many large, newish, very expensive diesel vehicles there are still out there.
A simple straw poll on the very overpopulated Island at the moment indicates an overwhelming percentage.

The ones that make me cringe the most (other than some nice W212s) are some really nice 2013 640d that I've seen. I suspect a bunch more of them will be/are being reluctantly sold off. Such an amazing car.