I think it might already have started in Bath, and Bristol’s is coming in in October (unless our council cock up the submission to central government again).
I saw billboards last year I think in Sheffield saying about consultation for the same thing. I had a quick look on line as was wondering how that would affect my daily drive around in my diesel work van. I didn’t manage to come to any definitive conclusion.
A good time to turn your van conversion back into a van and sell it to a plumber? It would be amusing if that general tactic took off and inner cities became stuffed with smelly polluting old historic vehicles making the problem worse. lol Many unhappy hours grid-locked in Bath and that was over 30 years ago. There just aren't any routes around it in Bath.
It’s the poor self employed trades I feel for - do the long suffering heroes get a new van to avoid the charge or charge the customer £9/day extra to go in the zone. Put the prices up I say and put your mark up on too.
I don't know what they are like now, but 40 years ago they were flame BBQ'd, the size of a dinner plate with half a jar of blue cheese mayonnaise. I don't think they'd been open all that many years. I'm drooling at the thought. I saw Robert Frip and David Byrne in Moles once (talk about lucky!) and over to Schartz Bros after - a perfect evening.
Fond memories of eating a Schwartz bros burger sat outside the Theatre after a night out in that sweaty club under pultney bridge...
@zedders our paths could have crossed back then - I was the *******ed one sat on the kerb eating a Burger...
I didn't live there myself I lived in Bristol and IIRC getting back late at night wasn't an option so it was doss on a mates sofa... along with half a dozen other people, or go out in Brizzle which wasn't toooo bad.
How to kill a city centre in one fell swoop ... Most of you outside That London are probably ignorant of the new ULEZ boundries . It` s being expanded from a tiny ULEZ in Westminster and The City to cover anything inside the North and South circulars - a huge increase in the catchment area . Doesn`t affect me i hear you all crying in unison , well coming shortly to a city centre near you ... If you think about the extent of the expansion in one hit , with very little consideration for businesses and low income workers such as NHS assistants , nurses , trainees etc etc it`s a joke . It doesn`t effect `us` but for millions it will be life-changing legislation for both businesses and private households - think about that for a minute ... Businesses need deliveries and that usually means a van . Anything non compliant over 3.5 tonnes is £100 per day , so who`ll be paying for that delivery to the supermarket or pub ?? It`s easy being all smug about nipping into town for a burger but the reality is the burger shoppe will find a souless out of town trading estate and move , it`s happening already . And how easy would it be to increase the Bristol / Manchester / Birmingham /Leeds catchment areas out another 5 miles in a couple of years time ?? Let me help - VERY EASY , so whilst your`re wallowing in smuggy-ness let me assure you , these zones becoming accepted is just the beginning , it`s easy money , and boy , do the govenment and councils need it . Tell me i`m wrong when you`ve gotta spunk out 30k for a new van just to keep in business ... EDIT - You might not be riding into town if they follow the London example , most pre- 2007 are liable for the £12.50 charge - put your CX reg in and see , just out of interest . Facts are , if you`ve got a non-compliant bike it`s pointless taking it out of the garage . https://www.bikesure.co.uk/bikesureblog/2020/02/ulez-motorcycle-guide.html
But cities also have regular buses, taxis and trains as alternative for private people. The Bath one is bonkers. it doesn’t affect private cars only commercial vehicles and there’s no alternative route for anyone to to get around
Yes the convenience of living in a city seems to be pretty much nullified by not being able to do anything - and when we are allowed, it will be more inconvenient to do it and cost much more.
