Who knew you had to pay to drive in Birmingham?????

[NichyNoo]

Went to Birmingham recently for a weekend mini break. Received a penalty notice in the post today as apparently Birmingham is a clean air zone and you’re supposed to know this and pay £8 per day to drive in the city. I’m guessing another fine is in the post for the Sunday when we drove out of Birmingham. We didn’t see this advertised anywhere so no idea how we were supposed to know - two fines of £120 I know about the london congestion charge but do any other cities have this charge to drive so we don’t get caught out again?

I had no idea, not seen it on the news here either. But my car is fully electric fortunately!

It’s been on National news. BBC, etc. Papers, online and tv. It was on a lot when the start date was delayed by a while too.

Without giving op a personal visit I’m not sure there’s much more that could be done to advertise the clean air zone any better than it already has been.

So if you’re rich and can afford a newer car you don’t have to pay... great.

@Moonme

So if you’re rich and can afford a newer car you don’t have to pay... great.

It’s about pollutants, not about how new your car is. It’s seriously adversely affecting the health of people within the inner ring road.

@DismantledKing how does me paying £8 a day help them? I can’t afford to change my older car

@SamVimes6 I would suggest that more signage saying that you’re entering the zone would help, rather than signs saying the zone is 90 yards to the left, a notice on the hotel website where they give details of car parking facilities, a sign overhead as you leave the NCP car park reminding you that that you’re entering the zone……

Well keep it out of the city centre then. The payment is to deter people driving polluting cars into the city.

We received a letter too after returning from holiday, where we needed to pass through Birmingham. It said if we paid up sharpish at the Post Office (£8), then the fine would be revoked, so my husband dashed to the PO quick sticks! Wouldn't you have had the same?

I thought only London had a congestion charging zone.

[quote NichyNoo]@SamVimes6 I would suggest that more signage saying that you’re entering the zone would help, rather than signs saying the zone is 90 yards to the left, a notice on the hotel website where they give details of car parking facilities, a sign overhead as you leave the NCP car park reminding you that that you’re entering the zone……[/quote]
As I’be previously said (with a photo), you literally drive under signage that said you were entering the zone.

@DismantledKing great... I won’t drive to a place I frequently have work at because I’m poorer than some one who can afford a newer model.

I know about the london congestion charge but do any other cities have this charge to drive so we don’t get caught out again?

London also has a ULEZ (ultra low emissions zone)

Current map - map in link tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone

Expansion on 25 October to everything within the N and S Circulars - new map in thus link tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-expansion

So do check if you will be driving in London after that date. I think it's well signed, but then again the signage in Birmingham looks pretty clear to me too

[quote Moonme]@DismantledKing great... I won’t drive to a place I frequently have work at because I’m poorer than some one who can afford a newer model.[/quote]
Yes, you can’t. Unless you pay the fee. That’s right.
Because the health of the population of inner-city Birmingham is more important than your strop.
Get the bus or the train.

@DismantledKing. Good ableist perspective. Public transport doesn’t work for us all. I’m not against clear air solutions but punishing the poorer isn’t the right answer. If I was richer I’d have a hybrid for sure.
Why not charge everyone like London congestion charge? At least that’s fair.

@BlackeyedSusan

Trying to navigate in a strange city is a bloody nightmare. We missed the introduction as it was delayed because not many people knew about it. Have to go to hospital with a disabled child who does not do buses.

Not sure about other hospitals, but Birmingham Children’s has an exemption. You just need to show your appointment letter to their reception and they give you a voucher code to enter into the payment site so you don’t get charged.

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s - Clean Air Zone Info.

[quote Moonme]@DismantledKing. Good ableist perspective. Public transport doesn’t work for us all. I’m not against clear air solutions but punishing the poorer isn’t the right answer. If I was richer I’d have a hybrid for sure.
Why not charge everyone like London congestion charge? At least that’s fair.[/quote]
Lol at you calling me ‘ableist’ when the whole point is to reduce ill-health and disability due to terrible air pollution in central Brum.
The whole world does not revolve around you.

[quote Moonme]@DismantledKing. Good ableist perspective. Public transport doesn’t work for us all. I’m not against clear air solutions but punishing the poorer isn’t the right answer. If I was richer I’d have a hybrid for sure.
Why not charge everyone like London congestion charge? At least that’s fair.[/quote]
As a pp mentioned, people with a disability can claim an exemption.

Also, there's an excellent train network into Birmingham - lots of local stations have car parks so you could drive to a nearby station, park (most are free) and get the train for the last part. The local train ticket could be cheaper than parking for the day.

@Givemebackmylilo

Another one who had no idea.

I also had no idea when I first drove into London.

Perfectly normal to be concentrating so much on the traffic/right lane etc that it's possible to miss them.

Additionally, "CLEAN AIR ZONE" hardly = what it intends to do.

The patronising idiots on here, p off

You might want to pay more attention to a) the news b) the road around you.

@peasoup15

We received a letter too after returning from holiday, where we needed to pass through Birmingham. It said if we paid up sharpish at the Post Office (£8), then the fine would be revoked, so my husband dashed to the PO quick sticks! Wouldn't you have had the same?

Nope….checked the letter again - one piece of paper was the PCN and the second piece was details of how to appeal.

@DismantledKing glad disability is funny to you. I’m not the only one in my situation. Charge everyone, not just those who will be most impacted by a charge.

And who don’t have other options like different cars or public transport available to them

[quote Moonme]@DismantledKing glad disability is funny to you. I’m not the only one in my situation. Charge everyone, not just those who will be most impacted by a charge.[/quote]
I don’t quite see how you can’t grasp why the most polluting vehicles are the ones being dissuades from entering the city centre. It’s a very simple concept.
As for ‘laughing at disability’, you’re either very stupid or being disingenuous.

@Moonme

And who don’t have other options like different cars or public transport available to them

From the Motability website: ‘Vehicles registered with a disabled tax class won’t have to pay a charge at all.’

I had this when I went to Bath. They had signs up about it being a clear air zone. I googled it, put in my registration and it said my car was exempt.