[Cedric_Statherby]

I have three brothers. They all use cycles to get to work (in London). I do not. They have all had serious injuries in the last 3 years. I have not. They are determined to go on bicycling. I am equally determined to go on not bicycling.

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thebigseats

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

The Congestion charge is a joke. The real problem is London’s streets are clogged up with busses and 25 year old diesel spewing cabs.

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thebigseats

[Cedric_Statherby]

[quote quote=1000887]… clogged up with busses and 25 year old diesel spewing cabs[/quote]

Well, those yes, but more serious are the thousands of Uber cars and tens of thousands of small delivery vehicles. And we all contribute to this, by the “ever so green” act of shopping by internet (so heroic, we don’t travel at all – we just demand someone else does, and in a van not on public transport) or leaving our car at home to take a minicab.

[capetonianm]

The real problem is London’s streets are clogged up with busses and 25 year old diesel spewing cabs

Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) taxis
On 1 January 2018, we introduced licensing requirements to reduce emissions from the taxi fleet by phasing out diesel taxis and increasing the number of ZEC vehicles in London. The maximum 15 year age limit remains in place.
New licensing requirements from 1 January 2018
Since 1 January 2018, taxis presented for licensing for the first time have needed to be ZEC. This means having CO2 emissions of no more than 50g/km and a minimum 30 mile zero emission range
First-time taxi vehicle licences are no longer granted to diesel taxis. ZEC taxis with petrol engines need to meet the latest emissions standard (currently Euro 6)

… more serious are the thousands of Uber cars and tens of thousands of small delivery vehicles. And we all contribute to this, by the “ever so green” act of shopping by internet (so heroic, we don’t travel at all – we just demand someone else does, and in a van not on public transport) or leaving our car at home to take a minicab.

The Uber cars don’t occupy parking spaces as they are on the go most of the time. Most are hybrids, supposedly lower emission.
The ‘tens of thousands’ of delivery vehicles are a more efficient way of distributing goods than having even larger numbers of drivers whose vehicles are not being used collectively.

[MartynSinclair]

don’t forget to add the outrageous car parking (and meter fees) fees, it makes driving into London very expensive.

[ASK1945]

[postquote quote=1000906][/postquote]

………………… but that’s what it’s about Martyn – another tax.

It’s nothing to do with Green issues.

[TiredOldHack2]

[quote quote=1000887]London’s streets are clogged up with busses and 25 year old diesel spewing cabs.[/quote]

Actually, the oldest black cab you are allowed to operate in London is 15 years old.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/spread_of_ages_of_londons_black

And roughly 10% of the fleet is now electric. Buses: nearly half are either hybrid or all-electric.

[TerryMcManus24]

Make it 50 pounds a day…and see what happens…Fresh Air in the “smoke”

[AlanOrton1]

Have had to drive in to London a handful of times, the most recent yesterday, travelling from the west, through Central London to Aldgate.
Noticeably more traffic than late last month, though still very light compared to normal. Driving down the Mall from Buckingham Palace to Admiralty Arch with both Green Park and St. James Park virtually deserted was quite surreal.
The one good thing (if it can ever be described as that) is the ability to pay the charge up to one day after you’ve travelled into London.

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esselle

[esselle]

[postquote quote=1001290][/postquote]

I drove into the City yesterday as well, and whilst there was virtually no traffic apart from buses, it was a nightmare as so many roads were blocked or restricted by the social distancing measures that have been put in place. It took me just over three hours to drive from Chester to the end of the M1, then a further hour to get parked near enough to visit my tailor just off Lombard Street.

OK at £15 for the very rare visit, but a shocker if you are trying to rekindle restaurant/bar/cafe businesses in the West End as the extension of the hours the charge applies across will make life hard.

[ASK1945]

Hi Esselle

I wish you had asked. It would have been much more practical to come off the M1 just before the Gateway Services, driven to Mill Hill Station (5 minutes), parked your car in an almost empty car park (pre-Covid always full by 0900), jumped on a Thameslink 8-carriage train with about a dozen people on the whole train, and then a short walk to Lombard Street from City Thameslink station 25 minutes later.

And, it would have cost you an awful lot less.

1 user thanked author for this post.

esselle

[capetonianm]

In my view anyone, other than residents perhaps, who takes a private vehicle into central London is either certifiably insane or deserves to be charged £50.

Fortunately my visits are rare, but I use the train to travel to a London Terminus, usually Waterloo, and then if I have time I walk to my destination, and I’ve often walked from there to Islington, Hampstead, Camden Town and so on. If you allow plenty of time you can usually plan a route through parks and small roads and I find it a real pleasure on a fine day to walk through London, with suitable stops for refershments. Otherwise I use the bus, or as a last resort, taxi.

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K1ngston, ImissConcorde, Montysaurus, AMcWhirter, MartynSinclair, ASK1945

[AMcWhirter]

Waiving of the Congestion Charge on Boxing Day has been a perk for shoppers ever since it (the charge) was introduced.

But it won’t be the case in 2020.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/congestion-charge-box-day-sadiq-khan-a4503161.html

[ASK1945]

Alex

As capetoninm suggested, unless you are a resident or collecting/delivering goods, you have to be daft to travel into central London by car anyway.

What we resdients in suburban areas are more concerned about is the extension of the zone into the area bounded by the North and South Circular roads in just over 8 months’ time.

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esselle, MartynSinclair

[AMcWhirter]

I hear what you say ASK1945.

The reason I posted the above is because it concerns Boxing Day.

Not everyone can use public transport into Central London on that day which is when the Boxing Day sales take place.

There are no National Rail services on December 26.

However Tfl will be intending to operate buses and tubes.

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ASK1945

[Author]

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