Congestion

[happy daze john in oz]

Some years ago a Congestion tax was introduced to central London.
The concept, to reduce the number of vehicle in that area.

There has been talk here in Oz with state govs and councils about a similar scheme.
But from what we have seen when visiting London the tax has done nothing, the traffic now appears to be more than ever.

On the news yesterday a bit about the Lord Mayor of London, there are now, from what i could make out, two other zones around London where there is an Emissions tax applied to vehicles??

Some councils are reported to be against an increase in the charge, I assume this is part of the 'Climate Change', regulations that many western nations are implementing.

But is it there to do that or is it just a tax and nothing else??

[John Arton]

As part of the u.k drive to net zero carbon emissions and coupled with the medical evidence on the health of it's citizens, years ago central London was dedicated a low emission zone and you had to pay to enter it unless you were driving a non polluting vehicle.
Present mayor of London is now extending this ultra low emission zone out into the suburbs. Another tax on Londoners to help him pay for his disastrous time as mayor.
This revenue raising scheme has been taken up by other cities, Newcastle has recently introduced a clean air zone in the city centre, so if you drive an older, greater polluting vehicle, you have to pay for the privilege of driving into the city centre.
Rgds
J.A

[Johnny Kieran]

I don't mind the original one in the city, but the outer London one is punishing the working classes. Most people are struggling to live anyway in the suburbs, now this twat wants to screw them even more. The Zone covers pretty well everything within the M25, so people with older cars are in trouble, and there are millions. It's strange how these politicians wait until hard times, to screw the people they represent. I suppose it's the old adage "The beating will continue until morale improves"
One of my relative told me that he can't even think about the zone, due to worrying about paying the rent/rates and everything else that goes with living in London.
I'm lucky, I moved out 47 years ago to just outside the M25.

[john walker]

The original idea of a congestion zone appeared to be a good idea as a way to cut down on vhicles and polution. It did neither. I live on the Fulham road which is in central London and is as busy and polluted as it always has been. The original Zone as mentioned was extended which made not an iota of difference. The new emision zones are just an extention of the original concept with a catchy name. Central London has an excellent transport network which is under used except at rush hour. I think that probably 50% of the vehicles travelling here do not need to do so, the exception being on transport strike days. The national and local governments have tried many different means to discourage motorists including astronomical parking charges, restricted parking areas with time limits and extended local parking permits. None of them work as people seem to look at the strategies as just another tax. One other heavy pollutant over central London are the aeroplanes with their exhaust fumes plus the noise nuisance. which nobody has bothered addressing since Boris was mayor. Some of the more responsable companies in central London who have their own parking spaces will not issue permits for staff usage unless they can show extenuating circumstances. Private parking spaces are being discussed as the next possible tax on motorists in London so those companies are probably just preempting future legislation.

[Keith Tindell]

most large cities are starting to hone in on the money earner, calling it the clean air zone, but in Portsmouth most HGV are exempt , we have all sat behind HGVs churning out large volumes of diesel smoke. The list at present is Bath, Birmingham, Bristol,, Greater Manchester, Portsmouth, Sheffield, and Tyneside, no doubt will spread much further, no choice but to open the wallet and suck it up.

[Tony Taylor]

As part of the u.k drive to net zero carbon emissions and coupled with the medical evidence on the health of it's citizens, years ago central London was dedicated a low emission zone and you had to pay to enter it unless you were driving a non polluting vehicle.
Present mayor of London is now extending this ultra low emission zone out into the suburbs. Another tax on Londoners to help him pay for his disastrous time as mayor.
This revenue raising scheme has been taken up by other cities, Newcastle has recently introduced a clean air zone in the city centre, so if you drive an older, greater polluting vehicle, you have to pay for the privilege of driving into the city centre.
Rgds
J.A

I think it only currently applies to commercial vehicles, buses and taxis. I can still recall a Newcastle newspaper article years ago announcing that the corporation were ditching all the trolley buses in favour of diesel buses as thy were much more versatile.

[James Curry]

A simplier way to reduce congestion and pollution in central London would be to export jobs to the regions!! Not rocket science is it. There are excellent internet & broadband networks nation wide!!! oh hang on a minute was that not the idea about creating the Northern power house Sorry forgot the current mob have even made a kucf up of that.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

I think it only currently applies to commercial vehicles, buses and taxis. I can still recall a Newcastle newspaper article years ago announcing that the corporation were ditching all the trolley buses in favour of diesel buses as thy were much more versatile.

Meanwhile in Sydney they have put in electric trains at a cost of $billions to stop pollution, and in Parramatta they are doing the same. Sydney once had a great tram system but some intelligent person had them ripped out for diesel buses.
Des
PS the trams, Spanish made were all taken off line as their undercarriages all cracked, poor steel.

[happy daze john in oz]

I can see the pint of maybe a cleaner atmosphere having been in the 'Smog' years in London.
But with the cost of EV and the wait for them, the current cost of living I see this as just window dressing by the various councils to show they are doing something.
The WOKE brigade love it.

[James Curry]

A lot more people would leave the car at home if there was a decent public transport system (that was not on strike) For years we have had park and ride systems working which thankfully are being used a lot more.
The thing that does my head in are the mum's who are 2 effing lazy to walk wee johnny the 1/2 mile to the school so glutter up the rush hour traffic doing the school run.