Diesel Cars to be Hit Hard in London and other city centres

[dave]

You could blame European Driving regulations, the government, or even at a stretch the green lobby, but if you’re a diesel driver who thinks they’re doing the planet a favour, then think again.

Your car is seen as a major pollutant even if you have been sold a different reality.
Why Is This Happening?

The regulations in question are the European emission standards, which apply to new cars and commercial vehicles sold in EU member states.

If your diesel vehicle is at the upper lever ‘Euro 6‘ then you have nothing to worry about – your car is clean.

However if you car or van does not meet these standards (i.e. levels 1-5), then you can expect extra charges for driving in city centres.

While the regulations also apply to petrol engines registered before 2006, what diesel drivers are finding irksome is that they were sold the ‘green dream’ of diesel through tax incentives and fuel efficiency – as Which magazine pointed out in 2012:

“Diesel engines are inherently more efficient than their petrol opposites, so the CO2 levels are usually lower, resulting in correspondingly lower car tax liability.” Choosing between petrol and diesel, www.which.co.uk.


If you know someone who has recently been boasting about their diesel engined car not requiring road tax, then these are the people potentially affected. Unless of course they are in the ‘Euro 6′ level.
Where Will It Take Place?

This fuss was all kicked off by Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who wants to turn the centre of the capital into an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Not today, but in 2020 when he’ll have long stepped down and made way for someone else to take the heat.

This initiative is expected to be replicated in other city centres, with the Daily Telegraph reporting: “At least 20 cities including Sheffield, Leicester, Bradford, Birmingham and Bristol, which suffer poor air quality, are looking at introducing low emission zones.” Diesel drivers to be penalised in drive to cut air pollution, The Telegraph, 29th July 2014.

The charge iN London is likely to be £10 on top of the congestion charge but as Murad Qureshi, spokesman for the London Assembly Labour Group Environment, pointed out in the Guardian: “Instead of banning diesel vehicles completely from an ultra low emissions zone, the mayor is simply fining them £10 for the privilege. And by not implementing this until 2020, Boris is kicking the problem into the long grass.”
What Can Be Done?

In his defence Boris is an advocate of clean air and recently was boasting about the low emissions quality of the new buses and taxis taking to London’s streets.

But this extra tax, on an engine that was seen as the better alternative, will not go down well with the drivers who need to visit city centres for their business as the message seem to be: “If you can afford to pollute, go ahead!”

If you want low emissions then you need vehicles that match up to the specifications. And if you stop the older cars coming into the city centre then you need an infrastructure to meet the needs of those users so their business is not impacted.

There is always talk about joined up policy and this is an instance where, car manufacturers, environmentalists & government bring the driver on board and get their opinion too.

The funny thing is, they all drive cars too.

:rumour:

 

[s and b]

i speak to many people attracted by low tax for a diesel but they fail to understand they are buying the totally wrong vehicle as they do low mileages
all they see is £ signs
ask them if they know about low ash oils and they look blank
mention dpf and they think its a holiday destination

you cant educate pork so let them get on with buying unsuitable cars,keeps some of us to pay the mortgage

 

[dave]

mention dpf and they think its a holiday destination

they are idiots everyone knows its a sofa shop :devil:

 

[Focus Owner]

I drive a diesel for one reason.
i feel i batter engines and feel they are a bit robust

only get 38mpg

that is regardless of my driving style
lowest i have managed is 26

but if i am going to be charged for driving into a city i might as well just buy all my crap online and let amazon pay luxenberg tax

 

[StevenRB45]

OHs new motor is a diesel, will do 8k a year, if it was a private sale it would indeed be an act of stupidity. Although obviously it will be euro 6 so will not be affected by recent changes.

However it's a company car...so if the dpf goes..company cheque book second, company car tax and better residuals mean a diesel DS3 is cheaper than a petrol fiesta or suzuki swift despite them both being at least 3 grand cheaper to buy.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

We drive frequently into London in our diesel mini which I note is euro 5 compliant, we pay no VED and it does something like 70mpg, the good thing is most of the time in London it's producing no emissions as the stop start has it stopped, and comes under the free congestion charge rate which just requires you register the car (about £10 one off payment)

That said it still looks to be effected by this however we will have long since traded it in for another newer diesel by 2020 which will be euro 6 compliant

As for mileage we bought it last February with 5k on the clock and 18 months later it's on 30k so no doubting we're doing the mileage to warrant the diesel plus the all inclusive warrantee means then only thing we actually pay for it tires when they wear out everything else is covered including free servicing