Living in the congestion zone

[Cocomumma]

I have just been offered to view a flat by the council, however it is in the congestion zone and as TFL have now stopped all new resident discount applications I was just wondering how those of you who have either just moved or live in the zone cope with paying the fee everyday?

Obvious question, but do you have a car?
Have you costed getting rid of it and using public transport taxis?

If you live in the CCZ you probably don't need a car.

Yes I have a car and unfortunately I need it for work so selling isn't an option.

Anyone else? Really need some advice before even considering the property.

Hope you get it sorted, OP.

Seems very unfair to not allow a residents discount, in particular for social housing.

Could you keep it outside of the zone?

Sorry, typed a long message then lost it.
Look into expenses- via work or if you’re self employed, electric vehicle discount, using zip cars. Regular car without discount would be unaffordable I guess.

Where are you commuting to for work? If you're heading outwards, do you really want to live in the CCZ at all?

Well if there's no residents' exemption or discount running then I guess you have two choices: you either pay it, or don't move to that property.

Is your car exempt from the ULEZ or would you have to pay that too?

If you can afford to change your car, a fully electric car would be exempt from the congestion charge but only until December 2025.

I currently live on the boarder of the zone and drive outside of it for work.
Where I work despite being in london has no direct public transport links and I mainly work nights, so I would end up having to pay uber's to get too and from work.

I'm really stuck between a rock and a hard place, the property is in a great location for the school I would like my dc to attend and I have been living in temporary accommodation for almost 5 years, so it would be our first home.
But it's just this bloody congestion that is putting me off. I have only just brought this car as my previous one wasn't ulez compliant and cannot really afford electric, it's just shocking that the charges are so high especially for residents.

The flat sounds like a great opportunity. If you can, go for it and pay the CCZ or the Ubers.

Having a central London flat & a good school for your child is an investment in the long term. A job & a car are short term expenses.

The congestion charge is £15 per day, parietal. Even if OP only drives into the zone on working days she'd still be racking up a minimum of £300 a month in congestion charge fees. It's a considerable amount to have to write off so I'm not surprised OP is concerned about it.

Personal view here, but I don't believe that residents' exemptions will be back, OP. There's a hole in the budget due to The Unspeakableness and they're having to plug it in whatever ways possible.

So I think you're safest making your decision based on the assumption that you'd continue to have to pay it if you drove or lived in the zone.

@parietal I know it would be a fantastic opportunity and believe me I want to grab it with both hands, however it's not just work I also need it to do school runs morning and afternoon.
It would probably work out more expensive me not having a car as I would have to pay for childcare ontop of everything else.

That's a real shame OP.

It sucks but it sounds like it's not the place for you. Car ownership in the congestion zone is just so expensive.

Would a bicycle work? Depending on how big your kids are you could get one of those kids trailers.

Unless your child is disabled I am amazed that anyone in central London uses a car for the school run!

If your child has a Blue Badge you can claim exemption from the charge.

Work out how much it costs to own and run the car: tax, MOT, insurance, congestion charge, fuel, parking and maintenance. What’s the true cost over the year, and how does it compare to a car club/Zipcar/Uber when you need it? If you didn’t have a car you’d probably walk the school run as London catchments are small, so the main focus is journeys you can’t do by public transport. Is it really worth giving up the chance to get out of temporary accommodation just so you can keep the car?

I would look for somewhere else or get rid of the car. Otherwise it’s going to be a constant financial drain.

Are you able to say what type of work you do and whether the car is essential for it (ie the driving is part of work) - if so, expense it. If you are driving because of anti social hours and it’s just to get to / from work, does the employer offer any kind of assistance with transport costs? It is appalling that Sadiq Khan is treating all c charge zone residents as one homogeneous mass of Russian billionaires with this ludicrous policy.
Given your situation, I would be inclined to take the flat and school and try to mitigate the transport costs by using a club car booking (check where nearest ones are to work / home) / transferring location or employer assistance if possible, otherwise look for a central job. It’s ridiculous that’s you are put in this situation (I cannot bear to think how carers are being affected by this - they’re already brutally shafted by their terms of employment on travel between homes)

I'm an events manager and it stipulates in my contract that I must have a vehicle as we travel to different locations at all different times, our main base is not covered by any dirct transport links so if I was to use public transport, it would be 2 buses to dc school (last year so i won't be changing them) 1 bus back to train station, then 2 trains and a 30 min walk to work.
If I'm working a night shift which is what I mostly do there are no public street lights and I'd end up getting an uber home, but then I can be anywhere on location so quite difficult to expense and I won't be able to collect dc from school so again would end up paying out for after wraparound care.

I think I'm going to have to turn it down, it just isn't viable. I agree that Sadiq has royally fucked over residents in the area its disgusting, intact I think the whole charge is wrong.

Why do people keep saying Uber. I'd never use them. Wouldn't it be cheaper to use a local taxi firm.

God this is a horrible reason for you to turn down a permanent home. Do speak to your employer first as the worst they can say is no, and they may have some help available. And write to Khan and tell him just how his idiotic policy has fucked your family so that he can help balance the books he messed up in the first place. Perhaps he’ll lend you the Range Rover.

Oh god OP, what a horrible dilemma.

At least you must have reached the top of the list if they offered you somewhere. Is there a policy if offering 3 properties? Though I can see that might take a while. Can you explain your work situation to the housing officer so that they realise you are not just being princessy?

Is the bulk of the LA’s housing inside the CC zone?

It’s horrible. I would be writing to Sadiq about the effect on social housing residents but also cc Boris and the housing minister because ultimately it is the Gvt who while bailing out no end of commercial
Enterprises last year (including airlines) have made it necessary for TfL to impose terrible costs to make up the shortfall.

Maybe they think you should travel to work on EasyJet….

Are you talking about the ULEZ zone or the central London congestion zone? Because they are different things.

If you are talking about the ULEZ you don't necessarily need an electric car - we don't. In most cases a new car will be "environmentally" friendly enough to not have to pay a charge. You can check whether you will be charged by the following link and typing in your car reg: tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-expansion

If you are talking about the central London congestion zone I can't help you with that unfortunately. The ULEZ applies to the congestion zone but the congestion zone mandatory fee doesn't apply to the wider ULEZ area. You can see which postcodes are within the congestion zone area via this link: tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone?intcmp=2055

@EdgeOfTheSky They have a one policy rule so I if I view it I will likely have to take it. I'm just waiting for my housing officer to call me so i can try and explain the situation and see where we can go from there.

Most of the properties are outside of the congestion zone, but come October all of them will be in the ulez zone which Is why I sold my previous car as it was a non compliant diesel.

@BlakeDreary I'm talking about the congestion zone.