Why ULEZ Makes No Sense (Is Your Car ULEZ Compliant?)

[@LurgsHowToGuides]

My wife was taking our daughter to Chessington World of Adventures but found out it was in ULEZ so another £12.50 on an expensive day out so she went somewhere else. Our 10 year old VW T5 is not compliant, I can’t afford a new vehicle. Makes me so angry, it affects working class people not rich people.

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

British mayors have far too much power. This would never happen in Australia.

[@khalidacosta7133]

It's ok, I can take a private plane spewing out all sorts of emissions right into the heart of London (city airport). Your 10 year old VW T5? Your problem buddy, I pay lots of money so I can pollute far, far, far more than you and I don't have to pay :D - Yeah this is the hypocrisy we face.

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

@@khalidacosta7133 ULEZ has to be nationwide to ensure fairness, especially for those who live out of the major cities who are visiting. Needless to say, the phase in timeline would have to be generous so drivers of old cars can sort out their affairs. Also, drivers with older vehicles would have to be given some compensation to buy a newer vehicle. From an Australian perspective, I do not ever see a similar ULEZ scheme coming into force in Sydney, Australia anytime soon. Car ownership in Australia is extremely high, so a ULEZ initiative would just not have widespread political support.

[@khalidacosta7133]

@@user-kc1tf7zm3b That's not how politics works. Most people weren't in support of an expanded ULEZ (Labour Mayor's own data), yet it was steamrolled ahead anyway as it didn't need political support. The Conservative government minister could intervene but all the government sees is a reliable money stream.

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

@@khalidacosta7133 You say that that is not how politics works in England. But, the duly elected Mayor or London Sadiq Khan expanded the ULEZ scheme in London. The London mayoral election will be held in 2024. If Khan is voted out of office next year will the ULEZ scheme be withdrawn by his successor? Maybe. But, I really doubt it. In Australia at least, leaded fuel was banned in 2002. (For the UK, this was in 2000.) So, a wide scale ban of something considered harmful and obsolete is very much possible. Even if banning leaded fuel is far more straightforward than banning old and dirty cars. My guess is that sometime in the 2040s, Australia will retroactively introduce Euro emission standards on the small and diminishing fleet of petrol cars which are still on the roads in 20 years time. So, this is essentially ULEZ in Australia. So, in a sense, Mayor Khan is ahead of his time. Khan is totally right: old and dirty cars are utterly harmful for people as it directly leads to pollution deaths. This is simple natural science. But, having said this, ULEZ is controversial for those who, for whatever reason, are obliged to drive older cars. If a person is obliged to relinquish and scrap their only vehicle, an old car, then he ought to be fully compensated for this loss. To the extent that he will be able to purchase an equivalent car which is ULEZ compliant.

[@davidrmcmahon]

Some older Diesels are £0 Tax (Mostly ones fitted with stop/start, yet get the ULEZ charge, a Petrol Euro 4 (Including sports) can be £600 tax yet avoid the ULEZ.

[@_MrL_]

It’s not just the London Area … it’s the fact that different rules apply in different cities/regions … in some places you can’t drive your car into the city period! … I have been checking and have found the same make/model vehicle with exactly the same engine and emissions. 0n a 2005 plate it’s exempt in all green zones except London. On a 2004 plate it can’t either enter a green zone, will be fined instantly or charged a PCN type fine. That included Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Sheffield, Bristol, Bath, Birmingham, London, Newcastle and Manchester when that becomes live. There is no consistency. If there are going to be LEZ zones they need to be consistent across the whole country. There should also be no charge for people who have owned their car for more than 5 years! … my parents are in their 80’s … they bought their diesel cars (a Renault Megane diesel estate and a Renault diesel Scenic when the Government were telling people to buy DIESEL … they have had both cars since 2008 … they are pensioners and they cannot afford to change or update their cars. They probably only have a few years left driving anyway. They are both still active and part of bowling,bridge, walking clubs etc as part of something called the U3A … they are going to have to give everything up as they can’t afford to get to these activities. Public transport is poor, they rely on their cars both of which comply with NO green zones in the UK. They have family in Scotland and in London who they will sadly probably never see again! … they are being penalised for looking after their vehicles and doing low miles. I think the system is not fit for purpose and penalises the most vulnerable people in society. It takes away FREEDOM, it takes away CHOICE … it will FORCE places that provide services to close … what do I tell my 80+ year old stressed parents?. I’m wondering how many elderly drivers are being affected like this? … are we going to monitor strokes and heart attacks in the stats for people who have been killed or affected by ULEZ completely destroying their once normal lives? … TOO MANY PEOPLE DON’T CARE OR DON’T GET IT BECAUSE THEY ARE UNAFFECTED … these new policies are discriminatory and life changing for some people!

[@HOG883R]

So well said !! Spot on. Brilliant idea about not affecting people who has the car for certain years (5 maybe). It's well known that the best action for the environment is to keep your car as long as possible.

[@desmondroberts6034]

I sympathise but; you're being melodramatic: your parents need only swap for old petrol cars this side of 2001 that can be had for less than £1500. At least for the London ULEZ zone but you'd still have to pay the congestion charge in Central London.

[@_MrL_]

@@desmondroberts6034 when you change the rules of the game during the game, it’s usually called cheating. They are both used to what they have, they are serviceable reliable cars and NOT scrappers despite their age. Buying a car for £1500 means it’s usually an older high mileage almost scrapper being kept on the road by a shoestring. Their cars were bought from new, are top of the range and fully serviceable and they have both been invested in to keep them as new. They were their retirement cars!. Their cars are also personal, they are of that generation. You’ll suggest that they sell their home of 58 years and move to a self contained retirement village next. Where are their choices? … whilst I agree that perhaps these cars should be taken off the road eventually, the way in which it is being done is unfair! … they cannot afford the extra £3k+ you are suggesting and they feel trapped and stressed by the situation. Who are you to project onto them how they should be feeling and call it melodrama? Why should they be forced to change in the first place? I find it farcical that the output of harmful gases they would emit from their current vehicles given their use and annual mileage for the approx time they have left driving would probably be less pollution than my neighbours annual barbecue and fire pit habit. Perhaps we should ban barbecues too, and bonfires. They pay to keep the cars on the road, they pay for their servicing, they pay for insurance and they pay road tax. They paid for their cars new with their retirement money and took the advice of the government at the time to buy a diesel. The Megane gets 48mpg on average and the scenic 42mpg.. You are trying to over simplify a complex situation, you are dismissing their stage of life and their current financial situation, you are dismissing their values and their investments. You do know the story of the straw that broke the camels back. Don’t you? … you’d be the person standing there saying, for God’s sake, it’s only a straw, don’t be so melodramatic!

[@desmondroberts6034]

@@_MrL_ You feel for your parents sure, but you're not being very realistic which does not seem helpful. Do you really believe that an annual barbecue burns an equivalent to your parents' yearly diesel usuage? I doubt it, it'd have to be a big barbecue. Their cars are probably still worth over £1000 to someone who does not regularly drive into cities. I don't agree that a £1500 car will be a jalopy falling apart, not long for the scrap yard, I've bought cars in that price range and had good service from them, I maintain my cars just as do your parents. ULEZ is precisely designed to improve people's health but regulates the emissions of NOx and Particulates and, not CO2.

[@_MrL_]

@@desmondroberts6034 wow? … it is not my decision, it is not how I feel, it is how my parents who are I their 80’s feel! … they are getting old but are still fiercely independent .. I’m telling my parents story and how they feel, and you are calling me unhelpful? I have tried to look for things that work for them and it is causing them stress … my dad almost feels suicidal! … my dad used the estate to help out at local charity shops to move stock and take rubbish to the tip. It made him feel useful! … the cheapest compliant estate locally is close to £4000 … and doesn’t have half the creature comforts and features they paid for on his car. At a budget of £1500 there is nothing in compliant estates … so They would have to replace them for a downgrade and accept it? They feel it’s unfair. It is not a swap if it isn’t like for like! So, Stop using the word swap! They like and chose their cars, they were retirement purchases and the first new cars they had ever owned. They don’t have spare money to pay the difference between what they currently drive to get equivalent compliant cars. To do this would be approx £8000+ … and why should they be forced to buy a second hand car when they didn’t do that in the first place? when they invested in their cars, their was no expiration date on them, they feel stressed and conned, and btw, my neighbour has a barbecue and fire pit virtually every time it doesn’t rain. He burns charcoal and petroleum smelling starter blocks… I have to close all my windows. Council won’t do anything to stop barbecues … You are nothing but a troll!

[@tomvill]

Vans do need to pay ULEZ. This move has hit van users the hardest due to a lack of compliant vans on the market plus your current van being made effectively worthless.

[@barriewilliams4526]

I've never had any problems since fitting flip plates to my non-compliant car😉

[@N4CR]

S2000 04 and up are Euro 4, even though identical engine/weight and emissions as the Euro 3 99-03 models lmao. SCAM

[@deanmais886]

Won’t be going to London anymore, it’s no longer British there now anyway.

[@jackiechan8840]

Apparently the LEZ in central London only reduced NOX emissions by 3%. Says it all.

[@garbagesoupcan]

Definitely don't pay some dodgy bloke who works at TFL to fudge the system and hey presto, one day your car isn't ULEZ compliant, the next day it is! Wouldn't it be awful if everyone started doing that, shucks://

[@jeffricks2640]

my 2009 peugeot is exempt from ulez ,,,,yet my road tax is 290pa !!!

[@blueswales9990]

2014 Nissan Note 1.5D. Free road tax, not ULEZ compliant. Nuts.

[@jeffricks2640]

@@blueswales9990 both charging systems are wildly wrong ...functionally and morally

[@CarsWithBen]

Yep its crazy times

[@tonygee7732]

Guns alright what you want to in a grand the year no problem doing show featuring around free car everything positive nothing uses crap get rid of calm get rid of calm

[@StupStups]

Good video but the last letter of the alphabet is pronounced "zed" my good man.

[@baylessnow]

I agree, Americanisms from KZbin, are slowly taking over our way of life and our language.

[@CarsWithBen]

Appreciate that! Will improve for next time! 😂

[@ryanh3285]

2014 honda civic 1.6 idtec 0 road tax non compliant the car won awards for economy and being clean based on co2

[@ryanh3285]

Basically find the petrol version of you're car exact same colour and clone the plates

[@capncol]

Zee? FFS!!

[@IMarshmellowx]

The little hatchback (Toyota Aygo) you highlight in the video is ULEZ exempt though, which kinda undermines the entire video.

[@fishinmalarkey9830]

Is my 2004 2.0td 7 seat grand vitara complient? It's a pug hdi engine

[@user-kc1tf7zm3b]

The reported diesel standard is Euro6 which was ratified in 2014, so your car from 10 years earlier has no hope in being compliant. This ULEZ scheme would never come to pass in Australia. The Australian public would just not tolerate it.

[@CarsWithBen]

It should be. I believe 90% of the cars on the road are actually compliant but you can check on the government website here if you type your plate in: motorway.co.uk/ulez-checker