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Original poster

ULEZ rant

128 replies

CapturedLeprechaun · 31/08/2023 11:44

I live outside the ULEZ zone, but work as a social worker in a london Borough that falls inside the new expansion zone.

My car is not ULEZ compliant (2006 plate diesel) but runs perfectly fine. I use my car for work purposes for visits to homes and schools, and can claim back 45p per mile on expenses.

My borough has said they will not be allowing ULEZ charges to be claimed on expenses, but will instead provide a bus pass for those that need it. I have worked out the journey time for an average week, and I'll spend approx 6+ hours more a week making my visits by bus than I would by car.

It's so frustrating- that's basically almost a whole day extra a week I'll "lose" in working hours sitting on a bus, yet I'll have the same amount of work to get through. It just seems so shortsighted, and I'm so annoyed. I explained this to HR, and said that if they paid the ULEZ charge for one or two days a week, I could do all my weekly visits on those days and wouldn't lose any working hours sitting idly on a bus, and it makes more financial sense to the council than to have a social worker being unproductive for 6+ hours a week. They're not budging.

So bloody frustrating.

OP posts:
Seeline · 01/09/2023 10:06

gullup · 01/09/2023 08:02

I'm a regular bus user in London and would feel frustrated at being limited to buses. The journey times are often longer than the Google Maps estimates, they are always terminating randomly or stopping mid route to change drivers or even out the service. It will end up being longer than 6 hours. Aren't they offering the option of tubes? They are generally far quicker.

Have you tried getting round on the tube in the outer boroughs of South London? Good luck - there aren't any!!

RamblingRosieLee · 01/09/2023 10:09

Seeline and if there a re tubes the air a quality is absolutely awful down there.

Not sure about new Elizabeth line

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:09

Seeline · 01/09/2023 10:06

Have you tried getting round on the tube in the outer boroughs of South London? Good luck - there aren't any!!

Show quote history

Where are there no tubes in South London?

StEImosFire · 01/09/2023 10:10

There's plenty of social work posts out there paying well, outside of London. I would dump London personally and get another job. Vote with your feet.

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:10

RamblingRosieLee · 01/09/2023 10:01

I know someone who has had dealings with him and his office and feel he is belligerent money waster who often do as things and wastes money just to smite the tories.

Op this is heart breaking and I would write to mp about it and papers.

"heartbreaking" come on....get a grip.

RamblingRosieLee · 01/09/2023 10:12

@shibhon she's a social worker.

Her job is to support and assist the most vulnerable in our society.
It's a hard, over worked, under paid job.

Yes.

I do think it's heartbreaking that another layer of difficulty has been applied to her work.

Blueroses99 · 01/09/2023 10:15

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:09

Where are there no tubes in South London?

Show quote history

Boroughs of Kingston, Sutton, Croydon off the top of my head.

As there are no trains today due to the strike, I’m on a bus to another borough to catch the tube. It’s the first stop on the line so most of that borough are not accessible by tube even though it has a tube stop.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 01/09/2023 10:19

msbevvy · 01/09/2023 07:31

Why would you do that?

It was a Tory Mayor (Johnson) that came up with the scheme in the first place and a Tory government that has forced the expansion as a condition of bailing out TFL after the pandemic.

I hate the way the Tories seem to be gaining from people blaming Khan for things that he isn't responsible for.

Show quote history

Khan decided to expand it!

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:20

There are trains! FGS. There are trains and trams and buses. Londoners are really spoiled for public transport. Try living in a mid sized town where there are buses every half hour if you are lucky.

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:20

Blueroses99 · 01/09/2023 10:15

Boroughs of Kingston, Sutton, Croydon off the top of my head.

As there are no trains today due to the strike, I’m on a bus to another borough to catch the tube. It’s the first stop on the line so most of that borough are not accessible by tube even though it has a tube stop.

Edited
Show quote history

There are trains! FGS. There are trains and trams and buses. Londoners are really spoiled for public transport. Try living in a mid sized town where there are buses every half hour if you are lucky.

Seeline · 01/09/2023 10:21

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:09

Where are there no tubes in South London?

Show quote history

London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Kingston and Sutton have no tubes

Tinkerbyebye · 01/09/2023 10:21

I wouldn’t worry. By the next election Kahn will be out and it will be reversed.

Blueroses99 · 01/09/2023 10:23

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:20

There are trains! FGS. There are trains and trams and buses. Londoners are really spoiled for public transport. Try living in a mid sized town where there are buses every half hour if you are lucky.

Show quote history

Most trains go into London. Getting across the borough by train is not easy and I imagine quite a fade for a social worker travelling around residential areas.

Seeline · 01/09/2023 10:24

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:20

There are trains! FGS. There are trains and trams and buses. Londoners are really spoiled for public transport. Try living in a mid sized town where there are buses every half hour if you are lucky.

Show quote history

Train strike today - there are no trains from any local stations in my area today. There have been no trains at all on most strike days either. My local bus doesn't take me to the bigger train station that has trains.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 01/09/2023 10:25

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:20

There are trains! FGS. There are trains and trams and buses. Londoners are really spoiled for public transport. Try living in a mid sized town where there are buses every half hour if you are lucky.

Try South East London!!!

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 01/09/2023 10:25

Tinkerbyebye · 01/09/2023 10:21

I wouldn’t worry. By the next election Kahn will be out and it will be reversed.

Doubt it- he has the word Labour above him, inner city London would never vote for anyone else

SoupDragon · 01/09/2023 10:27

msbevvy · 01/09/2023 07:31

Why would you do that?

It was a Tory Mayor (Johnson) that came up with the scheme in the first place and a Tory government that has forced the expansion as a condition of bailing out TFL after the pandemic.

I hate the way the Tories seem to be gaining from people blaming Khan for things that he isn't responsible for.

Show quote history

Much as I despise Boris, he only brought in the central London zone, which made sense and was implemented better. Khan is responsible for expanding it out to the very edges of Greater London.

Blueroses99 · 01/09/2023 10:29

shibhon · 01/09/2023 10:20

There are trains! FGS. There are trains and trams and buses. Londoners are really spoiled for public transport. Try living in a mid sized town where there are buses every half hour if you are lucky.

Show quote history

And I imagine that social workers in such areas drive rather than wait for buses?

bakewelltarty · 01/09/2023 10:35

Are pps deliberately dense??? Yes Khan expanded it because it was a condition from the Tory govt when he asked for help to bail out TfL after the pandemic when everybody stayed at home. You know, because the govt told us too!!

Ariela · 01/09/2023 10:35

You read it here first:
Nobody has taken into account the effect of tyre wear and tear due to modern heavier battery laden cars & air quality.
I personally feel the wrong approach has been taken here. Reduce the price of public transport = more people choose it and frequency can increase.
I have no idea why Khan is removing the cheap travel cards on trains, which is how I generally go to London off-peak

hotsoupy · 01/09/2023 10:38

Ulez is generally a good thing. Why are people so resistant to improving our air quality. Whilst I do understand your frustration Op. if wrk won't help you find a solution then it sounds like you maybe better off finding another more convenient job as there's a high demand for social workers. Or perhaps it's a good time to get a new car?

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 01/09/2023 10:38

bakewelltarty · 01/09/2023 10:35

Are pps deliberately dense??? Yes Khan expanded it because it was a condition from the Tory govt when he asked for help to bail out TfL after the pandemic when everybody stayed at home. You know, because the govt told us too!!

The tories expanded the congestion zone.

Also no one is liking the Tories here- but the Torie councils rejected many of these initiatives eg. LTNs.

ArseMenagerie · 01/09/2023 10:39

Ariela · 01/09/2023 10:35

You read it here first:
Nobody has taken into account the effect of tyre wear and tear due to modern heavier battery laden cars & air quality.
I personally feel the wrong approach has been taken here. Reduce the price of public transport = more people choose it and frequency can increase.
I have no idea why Khan is removing the cheap travel cards on trains, which is how I generally go to London off-peak

Yes they have. It’s well known that particulates come from tyres but it’s still better to expand a clean air zone and to encourage public transport/biking. Not saying it’s a perfect scheme but we have to start somewhere with improving air quality. Children are dying.

deplorabelle · 01/09/2023 10:40

A 17 year old car is living on borrowed time and could easily develop a fault that is uneconomic to repair. This could happen any time. What would your plans be in this scenario?

Onegreenbean · 01/09/2023 10:41

On the plus side, hopefully this will be the end of Khan and the various poor decisions he's made.

I'd keep campaigning your employer OP and don't work a single second more than you are contracted to. If you cannot manage your workload having to include buses, this is your employers problem and not yours.