To wonder what all the fuss is about ULEZ

[Winterday1991]

Hardly anyone is affected, only if you have a very old car. No, you should not be free to pollute the air by driving around in a polluting vehicle and so should have to pay a penalty to do so.

It annoys me as everyone agrees we need to tackle climate change, but no one wants the hit on their life/ change their lifestyles.

They’ve managed it because it was implemented better. With better support, better public transport.
and not at a time when there’s a vehicle shortage due to a factory fire, and a cost of living crisis.

With the scrappage scheme in 2017 the website just gave you the criteria.

You then had to go to a car dealer with your old car and paperwork then tell them you wanted to buy using the scrappage scheme. The would then check if you qualified and sell you the new car.

We didn't have, or need a car when we lived in zone 2. All transport links were excellent.

Zone 5. Not so much.

The greenest thing you can do is hold on to your existing car and not buy a new one.

Give everyone the transport that central London has and we'll all be in favour. Put Police about and keep public transport staff, so it's safe to use and be on the streets and we can all reap the benefits. As it stands there are none for many places. Thankfully my city has scrapped the plans.

@VegetablesFightingToReclaimTheAubergieneEmoji fantastic username! I haven't as it works out well for me, no ULEZ charges but for the user that I quoted, it's a bit shit isn't it. Like I say, I know the cut off is needed but it's good for me, bad for others.

We have an old diesel banger because it fits the car seats in and was all we can afford.

I want to save the planet as much as anyone, and I'm very much in favour of taking action to improve air quality in cities.

My family walk and get public transport as often as we can, 90% of our journeys, but sometimes there's a journey where nothing but driving makes sense...

At the moment only the rich can afford EVs. The poor drive old cheap cars and get penalised with fines when they stray into town centres.

We're being clobbered enough as it with prices shooting up everywhere, money stress, debt just to keep going. Throwing the ULEZ into the mix just doesn't seem fair.

Oh god I come from a working class background.

Really regret that degree now, I knew I should’ve had 4 kids and gone on benefits.

But that isn't there for the extension.

"Eligibility criteria changes: Child BenefitWe are making changes to the scrappage scheme to help even more Londoners benefit from the funds that are available and prepare for the ULEZ expansion.
These changes include adding recipients of Child Benefit to those who can apply to scrap a car or motorcycle. If you are a Londoner and receive Child Benefit and would like to apply, check back here for more details at the end of July 2023."

No details. And time is running out - second hand cars are running out!!!

Wow OP, how naive, the ULEZ is not about emissions, its a mass surveillance network, firstly to test the technology for road pricing, then moving on from there it will be rolled out nationwide, covering all roads. This will be a means of removing your freedom to move around your own country.

You will be made to pay or even banned from using the roads at the arbitrary whims of your rulers. Your 15 minute city will become your 15 minute cage.

Make no mistake, this is the start of surveillance on a mass scale.

But people are blinded by the "eco babble" and can't see it for what it really is.

Once linked, en mass, across the country, there will be a perfect record of everyone's movement, and we will be made to pay, either through punitive charges or staying within your sector's and taxed while in relative captivity.

That's the problem. The ULEZ is government owned, no GDPR to get around like they need to with mobile phone providers. The ULEZ is live tracking data on a government system.

"Hardly anyone"

Lol. Ok.

Doesn't it depend on where you live in London?

Myself and other people I know delibrately choose to live near public transport routes, there as other people I know didn't due to their then lifestyle or were allocated social housing which only has one bus route within a mile.

Oh and the dog walker thing is a joke. I see it every morning.

People load their dog(s) into the car to take them on a walk.

There as at the same time I see people walking their dog(s) through the local streets to one of the same parks.

'If you can’t afford a tradesperson don’t use them! if you have made the decision to use a trades person that you can moan they’re ripping you off! Very random comment!'

Unfortunately I don't have a choice but use a tradesperson if I need a new kitchen/bathroom/plumbing/electrics.

I think its part of a bigger problem overall. The roads were empty today on my bus journey to nursery, because all the school run cars are gone, because they dont have the time to walk to school if they have to get to work, or their children are in different schools.

This is an interesting point - I try to avoid using our car for the school run where possible but I can do the round trip in 10-15 mins by car and it's 40-45 on foot or 25-30 by bike (when I factor in how slow the kids are at cycling, faffing with getting the bikes out, helmets on etc) and I can't always fit that in around working full time, kids' clubs etc.

Because for those of us who live on the very outskirts of London, in places who were in Kent and Surrey up until 50 years ago, (bromley, Croydon etc), we have the cleanest air in London. Some areas are still rural with shit transport and no street lights or snow ploughing in the winter.
Some of us genuinely need 4x4s. Bromley and Croydon are NOT Kensington and chelsea...

We have a diesel which isn't that old that isn't compliant. It has the word eco on the back and we don't need to pay tax on it either. ULEZ is going to affect us, and we can't afford a new car at the moment so will have to be careful about where we drive.

ive no idea which ulez thread I’m arguing on anymore
so I might be repeating myself. But the advertising has been so vague. I’ve met so many elderly people who don’t realise their car is compliant who have been talking of giving up their car, stopping going to clubs or trips out.
now their journeys are rarely far so the short journeys you shouldnt always do in a car. With shit public transport, it’s their freedom, and in bad weather or deteriorating health it’s their lifeline.
they’ve worried so much about it.

Are you for real?

So a poor person isn't entitled to have a broken boiler fixed, they must (according to you) freeze in the winter and wash in cold water.

I don't anybody "makes to decision" as though it were a choice.

Now I know why you're so out of touch and think the ULEZ is just about "the environment".

You could keep what you have which is much better for the environment. Or learn how to do it yourself if it is so easy.

Otherwise suck up having to pay a lot more as costs go up and availability reduces.

How good for the environment is it to keep renewing bathrooms and kitchens for fashion reasons?

Why would the government want to restrict our movements? Not good for a capitalist society.

It’s almost like they have an expertise you are paying for.
and maybe a living to make, kids to feed and support

Typically, people with less money use very old cars, so this is hitting those who cannot afford the charges hardest.

Also, this is affecting people (like me), who are outside of London. What jurisdiction does Sadiq Kahn, or any other future London Mayor, have over us? We don't even get to vote for the mayor!

Maybe they needs a tradesman to come and install the charging system for their EV

What has ULEZ to do with river pollution? And do only left wing voters care about the environment.