Just checked Tilly for driving through the zone and she is exempt Anyone found they would be charged?
I will be driving my work van straight into it today. It's not about cleaning the air sadly it's a money grab. I did hear it's been put back because the payment system is not working.
Unfortunately as government revenue from vehicle tax and fuel duty falls away they will need to find to find more and more ways of raising cash from those of us that don't want to drive around in a bodyshell fitted with a washing machine motor. I saw an article the other day pointing out the cost of an electric Mini. The base model 3 door starts at £16K rising to £27K for the 153mph John Cooper Works model whereas the base model 3 door electric one STARTS at £26K and has a range of 140 miles (assuming no lights wipers, air con, radio etc no doubt). Why, just why would you?
Its not just about money, they want to reduce air pollution caused by polluting vehicles, which harms people's health. If it works well I could see it being applied to all cities and large towns. I would assume the tax would also apply to classic vehicles as well, why would they be exempt?
If towns and cities across UK were really serious about polluting vehicles especially diesel engines why do they not have a central telephone number that you can ring when you see a car bus van or truck coughing clouds of black smoke, then the owner has to take the vehicle to be checked and repaired, it would also grab a few cars and buses belching oily smoke due to worn piston rings and valve gear or even a blocked air filter. I know you cannot see polluting gases but burning oil is carcinogenic
Bath have already done it but only for vans and commercials witch seams bonkers especially as there is no alternative route around the city for them.
There are powerful lobbies briefing against attempts to remove harmful pollutants from the air we all breathe. Just think about that for a moment. Unless you have a personal supply, I find it astonishing that anybody would object to the the principle at least.
Whilst I agree with the need to reduce air pollution, the Birmingham just ends up pushing all of the non compliant vehicles into the inner ring road, therefore creating a walk of smog around the city. It needs better thinking: cheaper public transport, free parking at park and rides and perhaps just banning cars and other vehicles that don't need to be in the city centre - allow only buses, delivery vehicles, taxis and disabled badge holders
I really am all for cleaner air for everyone but never understood the concept of these city centre zones when most of us don't live or work in city centres!
Derby has a very good city bus service system . Buses run through the outer perimeter areas of Derby into the centre every 15 mins ....and free for the pensioners absolutely no need to use your car ....just go and pollute the the dales on there drive outs .
Absolutely agree there are better ways. There is a study about reduced speeds and pollution rates to see if that helps Reduced speeds # safer roads more cycling less pollution overall including brake dust. Our work electric vans have a 29mile range yes 29 miles real world then it's back on fossil fuel.
In London, its the taxis and buses that are as much a source of pollution as other vehicles. And in California, its now the HGVs that roll up to the Amazon delivery hubs and the fleets of vans that add to pollution. If you think about it - most classic petrol cars throw out CO2, CO, H2O and nitrous oxides. Not much soot like diesels. So their effect is more global than local. Older Diesels clog up the air in the town directly. Unless they are equipped with DPF which are a source of unreliabilty.
Cambridge has an excellent park and ride and you would think that the eye watering costs to park in the city would push more people to Park and ride, not so, If you watch people even in Tesco and Sainsbury's they will drive around the car park until they find a parking spot with the minimum distance to walk to the store. People just want to park next to the tills with little or no walking and pay whatever the cost is.
