Bulletguy Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 As if the crazy fuel prices aren't a bad enough 'welcome home', i've just gone through all my mail today which I had stopped at my local sub-PO so it wouldn't pile up at my door while away. Amongst the letters was one from London Transport stating that my van had been seen entering a LEZ area on July 1st. I contacted the phone number and spoke with some guy who told me it's simply a warning letter and not a fine, but I explained to him that i've been out of UK for three months so knew nothing about this until now. My son and DIL live in Richmond which, according to this letter became a 'LEZ' area in January this year. As it was my Grandsons first birthday on my return, I drove the same road from Dover back to their house where I stayed a couple of nights before returning back home yesterday. I phoned my son who thought it was only applicable to HGV or commercial vehicles but looking on some website he finds it covers a whole host.......including Motorhomes and Campervans. Because i'm not totally familiar with the area I was following my satnav and never noticed any signs (though my son told me they are there.....but quite small and easily missed). Crazier still........my car, a Ford Focus 1.8 petrol gives higher emission readings on the MOT print out than my van (2.5TDi), even though the car has had a new catalyser fitted. Has anyone else fallen foul of Batty Boris's madcap LEZ? It appears that now I can no longer 'overnight' at my sons house if travelling in my van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 LEZ another good reason to avoid London ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 It is not actually 'Batty Boris's' he inherited it from 'Krazy Ken'. I think that it should be illegal to ban perfectly road legal vehicles from such a huge area of the country. I know it is not a ban in fact but it is in effect because the daily 'charge' is so high. £100 or more depending on the vehicle. It is not 'London' either as it covers almost the whole of the area inside the M25 motorway which includes parts of Surrey and other counties which are not 'London' in reality. AAhh! Harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Harvey - 2012-09-25 3:33 PM It is not actually 'Batty Boris's' he inherited it from 'Krazy Ken'. I thought the Congestion charge was Ken's idea (when Mayor) and Boris introduced the LEZ? Harvey - 2012-09-25 3:33 PM It is not 'London' either as it covers almost the whole of the area inside the M25 motorway which includes parts of Surrey and other counties which are not 'London' in reality. If it actually does cover such a vast area as that then i'd be interested to know from any other MH'ers living there how they cope with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scramblers Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 To check to see if you are immune to the LEZ charge, just enter your reg no into the link below:- http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/17700.aspx#tkt-tab-panel-3 My vehicle, which is based on a Ford Transit, does not incur a charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 LEZ excellent idea, keeps the rif raff out of my City.... sooner they ban EURO 3 vans as well the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Bulletguy - 2012-09-25 3:53 PM I thought the Congestion charge was Ken's idea (when Mayor) and Boris introduced the LEZ? No. Harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 It is interesting that if you are travelling on the M25, and it is closed and the diversion takes you into the inside of the motorway, i.e. into the LEZ, then you still have to pay a fine (over £200?). You can appeal & if the diversion is logged, then it will be refunded. Interesting in the fact that you are found guilty until you can prove your innocence! Personally I would ban the buses in London - old, dirty, smokey & usually empty other than at rush hour, when they clog up the roads. (& I am a South Londoner by birth!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerC Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 If it actually does cover such a vast area as that then i'd be interested to know from any other MH'ers living there how they cope with it? I don't know from personal experience but there have been reports of people owning 'non LEZ compliant' motorhomes and living within the zone having no option but to either pay the 'extortion fees', sell them or go for a very expensive conversion (approx £3000) to make them compliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 scramblers - 2012-09-25 4:00 PM To check to see if you are immune to the LEZ charge, just enter your reg no into the link below:- http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/17700.aspx#tkt-tab-panel-3 My vehicle, which is based on a Ford Transit, does not incur a charge. The reason it does not incur a charge is because it's a Mk6/7 Transit. My Duetto is a Mk5 Transit. But none of that explains why my ten year old 1.8 petrol engined Focus which kicks out a higher emission reading than my Duetto, is perfectly ok to use within the LEZ. It's a complete nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Bulletguy - 2012-09-25 6:42 PM The reason it does not incur a charge is because it's a Mk6/7 Transit. My Duetto is a Mk5 Transit. But none of that explains why my ten year old 1.8 petrol engined Focus which kicks out a higher emission reading than my Duetto, is perfectly ok to use within the LEZ. It's a complete nonsense. There are emissions and emissions. The LEZ, as with most emissions zones in Europe, targets the particulate matter specifically emitted by diesel engines, rather than CO2, NOX and other gases output be both petrol and diesel engines, which is (presumably) what you are comparing between your two vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Robinhood - 2012-09-25 7:02 PM There are emissions and emissions. The LEZ, as with most emissions zones in Europe, targets the particulate matter specifically emitted by diesel engines, rather than CO2, NOX and other gases output be both petrol and diesel engines, which is (presumably) what you are comparing between your two vehicles. Assuming the intention of LEZ is to keep out 'non-compliant' vehicles which don't meet the emission 'standard' (which so far i've been unable to find just what are the parameters), then the point i'm making I would have thought is pretty much logical. In the same way that all vehicles now have to pass an emission standard for an MOT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-09-25 4:08 PM LEZ excellent idea, keeps the rif raff out of my City.... sooner they ban EURO 3 vans as well the better. Why stop at Euro 3, think they should also ban Euro 4 and just allow in us Euro 5 owners. Now that would keep the plebs in their place!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I did think I'd have to change my works van.............but decided its easier to charge an extra £200 quid for deliveries inside the M25 :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 robertandjean - 2012-09-25 7:52 PM Why stop at Euro 3, think they should also ban Euro 4 and just allow in us Euro 5 owners. Now that would keep the plebs in their place!!! Then when they introduce 'Euro 6' you can be banned as well ....... he who laughs last ......... :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 been into london a lot in our duetto transit never had a problem. But to those taxi cabs and busses get away with it. electric taxi cabs would be a good one to bring in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted September 26, 2012 Author Share Posted September 26, 2012 duetto owner - 2012-09-26 10:36 AM been into london a lot in our duetto transit never had a problem. Because yours must be a Mk6 or 7 with the Duratorq engine? A point I didn't mention in OP was that the area my son lives is just a few miles from Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world........and their property lies beneath one of the flight paths for landing. If we are so concerned about "emissions", then what is a LE zone doing in such close proximity to a place where 747's etc are landing at the rate of one every sixty seconds during peak times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Bulletguy - 2012-09-26 1:14 PM If we are so concerned about "emissions", then what is a LE zone doing in such close proximity to a place where 747's etc are landing at the rate of one every sixty seconds during peak times? They're going to build another runway to help out ;-)................that's why they're banning old bangers like my 99 works tranny to massage the emission figures :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Update on thread topic; My son emailed London Transport who contacted him to discuss the matter. The lady he spoke to took details of my van and told him that she cannot understand why I was sent this letter and confirmed that it is perfectly ok for me to drive the van in the LEZ zone. If there is any other communication she has given a ref number re. the conversation, for me to contact her direct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Sounds like a (partial?)result then..? ;-) Although I would want a letter/email stating clearly that it is WAS compliant. ...Rather than just a chat with some women who,if you need to contact her again,will be probably be, "away from her desk"..."on maternity leave"..."moved to another department".. etc etc.... :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawki Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Bulletguy - 2012-09-28 5:49 PM Update on thread topic; My son emailed London Transport who contacted him to discuss the matter. The lady he spoke to took details of my van and told him that she cannot understand why I was sent this letter and confirmed that it is perfectly ok for me to drive the van in the LEZ zone. If there is any other communication she has given a ref number re. the conversation, for me to contact her direct. Hi Bulletguy I am sorry to say that I would be very very surprised if your MK5 transit is compliant, I thought the first transits to be ok were the 2000/2001 Mk6 but I hope I am wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 pepe63 - 2012-09-28 6:16 PM Sounds like a (partial?)result then..? ;-) Although I would want a letter/email stating clearly that it is WAS compliant. dawki - 2012-09-28 9:51 PM Hi Bulletguy I am sorry to say that I would be very very surprised if your MK5 transit is compliant, I thought the first transits to be ok were the 2000/2001 Mk6 but I hope I am wrong As stated she has given a ref no to be used in case of any further incident though I understand your views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Bulletguy - 2012-09-28 11:57 PM As stated she has given a ref no to be used in case of any further incident though I understand your views. You can confirm by entering your registration number at the link given by a previous poster here:-- http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/17700.aspx#tkt-tab-panel-3 There must have been some discrepancy in the 'system' for you to have received a fine warning if your 'van is indeed compliant.. I am asuming that it is uk registered ......... regards, harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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