To ask how you manage as a resident in a congestion charging zone?

[TheABC]

My city is being pushed into doing this and we can't afford to upgrade to a newer vehicle before it arrives. Whilst we walk where possible, for bulky items (such as the tip run, IKEA visits, etc.), we have to use the car.

More selfishly, it also means fewer trips to the swimming pool or the bigger parks as there are no direct bus routes available and it's impractical to ask a three-year-old to cycle across several busy junctions and roads for two miles.

How did you cope? Taxis, car share lifts or just accepting that you can't do certain things? I would happily consider a rental club, but they don't appear to exist where I live. Public transport is nowhere near as good as London's.

Very curious to know which city this is OP, as I think a number of other major UK cities have been looking at Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ with great interest, and are keen to replicate it.

I’m fortunate in that re ULEZ, I’ve only ever owned petrol cars, diesel doesn’t make sense for the short journeys we do. So not affected by that.

Residents' discount
To qualify for the 90% residents' discount you must live within the Congestion Charge residents' discount zone.

tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions

Would a car club or occasional car hire work for you?

it's impractical to ask a three-year-old to cycle across several busy junctions and roads for two miles.

Have you considered a cargo bike, like this one?

Depends if you are talking about ULEZ or Congestion Charging. There is no residents' discount for ULEZ after the 3 year sunset period.

Congestion Charge residents get 90% discount

Ex beings to a car club and rents when he needs a car.

@GinDaddy, it's Coventry. The council is going back with revised plans to try and avoid it as the zone covers every artery around the city, including two business and retail parks and major supermarkets. I am keeping my fingers crossed for something less blunt, but planning for the alternative.

@Haribo. We have yet to hear about a residential exemption - that would definitely help

@Forallthesaints, yes I think a car hire club would be a good option. They don't appear to operate around here (yet!), but perhaps I could write, describing the pent-up demand awaiting them? [Grin]

Have you used them - were they any good?

@Avocardosbeforemortgages, my jaw dropped open at that cargo bike! Not just for toddlers, but a whole new business awaits. Let's build entire fleets of cargo bikes and pedal rickshaws and take over the streets! Like Boris bikes, but for two people.

Cargo bikes are fab They're a common sight in the Netherlands and are catching on in London. They can also cope with things like trips to the tip or garden centre, and if you wish there are electric assist ones too

Does anyone know how people who can't walk are affected ?

@DG In London, blue badge holders get a 100% discount

Coventry won't survive this. It has none of the attractions of a major city, few shops remain in the centre. Little point visiting at the best of times. Surely people will go elsewhere?

Is it just for old cars and diesel cars?

I haven't looked in a while but I thought Coventry was using some quite relaxed rules so only diesel and highly polluting cars were available?

We also had a letter that we may qualify for reduced fees, I don't live in Coventry itself so I'd imagine you'll get even better reductions if you do.

Resident discount when I had a car.

Now I don’t I rent one via zipcar - cc and ulez are both included in the hire tariff.

Public transport is ace though. I had unlimited free access to a car for a year and use it

Public transport is ace though

Well, for some

In Coventry it is expensive.

I'm in coventry too. I'm also worried about how it's going to affect us. I think that the town centre shops will die. I like using the ice skating rink, cinema and the splash pool when its finally built! My friend lives on the outskirts of town and is concerned about being charged every time she leaves home.

We'll be inside one in 2021 and our shitty car (husband chose it against my advice 🙄) has to go. I don't want to replace it, I don't think we need one. I've had my eye on one of those babboe cargo bikes for ages and the cycle paths near us are improving so fingers crossed.

The cargo bike or bakfiets as they’re called here in The Netherlands, are synonymous with the middle classes. Less popular but still visible is the tandem bike with child saddles.

www.fietsenmetkinderen.info/images/stories/familietandems/familietandem_beladen.jpg

@Silversky70, that is my concern too. They are revamping the entire centre, but it won't work if you have to pay £8 + parking just to go. Not with Leamington, Solihull and Kenilworth within driving distance.

That's before you start on the ring road connections or getting to the hospital or railway station. Modern Coventry was built on the presumption of car journeys - it's going to be painful.

The would kill ikeas business! It's right in the centre of Coventry

My DSis lives outside Coventry but travels there to take the kids to the Herbert or if she needs to go to Ikea. We never go there for a day out when we visit her and of course with a congestion charge there's a good chance she'll just avoid it. I think it will be the death of Coventry too. There's nothing there you can't get elsewhere and you could just pay the Ikea delivery charge and avoid the hassle!

Her route to work can be done many ways including A46 or ring road. So it will reduce the congestion on the ring road as she'll choose the A46. Which always has an accident on it whenever we come over!! So push traffic onto an already busy accident spot. Great city planning!

Just suck up the charge?

Change car to a newer petrol one? Most petrol cars are ok for the standards of the ULEZs being proposed.

If you only occasionally drive you might find an occasional taxi is cheaper then tax, insurance, service, MOT etc

In London one can do pretty well with zip cars but I don’t know what your coverage is in cov.

We don’t have a congestion charge in Dublin but we only have one car so we use a car club for whenever we need something. It’s so handy so maybe there is a business opportunity for you in Coventry!!!

I'd love a newer car!!! I don't drive my heap out of choice!! It would hardly be worth my part time hours if I was paying £40 a week extra on top of what it already costs!