BBC NEWS | England | London | No C-charge plan for diesel cars

I think it's outrageous anyway. One minute it's a congestion charge then it's an environmental tax, I think it's time for some serious legal challenges to this unfair tax. While we have to pay road fund licence to use the road systems why should we be made to pay twice?

Despite the headline, I don't think they are saying diesel cars won't pay the congestion charge, they are saying that low emission cars, petrol or diesel, will not pay the charge.

That's how I read it anyway! I think the headline is actually at odds with the text below it

Despite the headline, I don't think they are saying diesel cars won't pay the congestion charge, they are saying that low emission cars, petrol or diesel, will not pay the charge.

That's how I read it anyway! I think the headline is actually at odds with the text below it

I think thats right, just low emissions cars. Since Hybrids are already exempt, and some of those have higher Co2 emissions than some petrol/diesel cars the exemption could be extended. Since this is a review, it could of course go the other way and hybrids have to start paying.

Volvo I believe have challenged TFL and the Mayor stating that cars such as their c30 , S40, V50 start/stop diesels are less polluting than many hybrid cars. This may have been one thing prompting this rather vague headline. Seems a good example of poor journalism posting what is at the moment a non story.

Always makes me laugh when I see the likes of Priuses and the Lexus h cars whizzing past me on the motorway at 80-90 mph............ sort of defeats the object of them buying a hybrid for an enviromental point of view doesnt it?

Steve

I think the headline is actually at odds with the text below it

Heaven forbid

The geography of London makes it a special place.

Most of the pollution from the surrounding Greater London area just falls down the slope into the London basin on the Thames adding to the pollution generated by cars that operate in the inner London area.

To make the air fit to breath they should just make it electric cars (And vans + lorries) only plus congestion charge in the inner London area and lean burn petrol/diesel plus reduced congestion + pollution charge in the outer London area up to the M25 boundary.

I suspect whilst that's a pipe dream now, once Nissan & Co get building their all electric city cars that's probably what will happen.

Secondly, they shouldn't have abandoned the Charterrail idea for freight.

BR rates blamed for derailing Charterail - Business, News - The Independent

There should be a Crossrail for freight in london , as well as a passenger one.

Lastly, as we all know, the Prius and other such hybrids are a marketing con aimed at the Middle class conscience/look good brigade. How overall, can carrying the weight of two engines and impedimentia associated with both ever be more economical ? Wakey wakey !

Nick

Edited 6 August, 200916 yr by Clunkclick

How overall, can carrying the weight of two engines and impedimentia associated with both ever be more economical ? Wakey wakey !

Are you saying that there are petrol engined cars of a similar size and performance to the Prius that get better economy?

There should be a Crossrail for freight in London , as well as a passenger one.

+1 but then I'm biased

Freight trains could move on to HS1 by next year | Freight | News | Railnews.co.uk

It's part way there

I think that Priuses should be limited to 30mph,

that'll stop them causing as much pollution

Then . . . being unbelievably, over-imaginatively wishful and ambitious the mid-channel island housing a container port, warehousing, western europe's new freight only airport and additional chunnel links becomes a possibility. Ooops !

Nick

IIRC from a survey when the CC extension was mooted, almost 2/3 of the polution comes from taxis and buses that Ken livingstone swamped the city with

Oh and then there's the lorry ban thingy during the day to ease congestion, yet everyone with a truck still seems to use the roads during the day.

You know, those green trucks crossed out on the trailers/cabs you always see. The gov gets cash for each exempted vehicle

Livingstone deliberately ignored Diesels as they are fairly common and to give them exemption would have thwarted his aim of extorting as much money from people as possible. How many people in London drive an electric hybrid compared to a Diesel. Boris should have more sense and is a car enthusiast himself but I don't know if the bods around him who really run things will let him as it will lose money: quite a few oil burners run under 120 g/km now. However I would not want to run a DPF car in London...

Livingstone deliberately ignored Diesels as they are fairly common and to give them exemption would have thwarted his aim of extorting as much money from people as possible.

The 120g limit was originally proposed a couple of years ago, when Ken was still in charge. It would have included diesels too. I think that proposal was shelved when Boris won ...

Ken Livingstone London CO2 Emissions Congestion Charge

If that is the case David then I stand corrected. If Johnson has scrapped or changed this then he has a lot to answer for, especially after the florid campaign literature. I am deeply suspicious of the Tories too. They talk a good story but if they get in i think they will do very little Politicians :thumbdwn:

Edited 7 August, 200916 yr by Matt Bodycombe
Typo

But diesels are foul devices emitting far more NOXious pollution than petrol engines. Why should they be exempt, all based upon some arbitary test about the amount of CO2 that is emitted?

But diesels are foul devices emitting far more NOXious pollution than petrol engines. Why should they be exempt, all based upon some arbitary test about the amount of CO2 that is emitted?

Because they sound & smell lovely

But diesels are foul devices emitting far more NOXious pollution than petrol engines. Why should they be exempt, all based upon some arbitary test about the amount of CO2 that is emitted?

Because the government has decided that CO2 is the benchmark for deciding on how "green" a car is , and has also decided an exemption is allowed for hybrids on the grounds of their lower emissions.

With those points in mind , a diesel engined car that is more efficient than a Prius has good grounds for being included in the exemption.