Oh Dear: £20 c-charge call for 4x4 drivers

[TheMonkey]

My series 3 was quite smokey (because the head was knackered). One 5L bottle of Castrol GTD a week type knackered. I used to get called "Bandit" at uni from smokey and the bandit for that reason.

[DaveB]

Doesn't diesel in the petrol produce smoke like nobody's business?

Certainly does. Thats what airobatic display teams use to create smoke. Diesel injected into the combustion chamber of the jet engine or the exhaust manifold in a prop driven place. Dye in the diesel produces the different colours.

[Angela_D]

Congestion charge will rise to £25 for 'Chelsea tractors'

It's been decided by Red Ken.

Half of all vehicles will pay a premium on top of the premium for being too 'dirty'.







http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...268154,00.html



Britain

The Times July 13, 2006

Congestion charge will rise to £25 for 'Chelsea tractors'
By Ben Webster, Transport Correspondent
THE London congestion charge will treble for large 4x4s and other fuel-hungry cars, under plans by Ken Livingstone to penalise vehicles with high levels of carbon dioxide emissions.

The Mayor of London is proposing a discount on the £8 rate for “greener” cars but an increase to £25 for “environmentally damaging” vehicles. The top rate would apply to any vehicle emitting more than 225g of CO2 a kilometre (g/km), including the Range Rover, Toyota Land Cruiser and some versions of the Renault Espace and BMW 5-series.

Cars emitting 120g/km or less, such as some models of the Citroen C2 and C3, and the Renault Clio, would pay less than £8, though the exact figure has to be decided. But the new sliding scale of charges would mean about 44 per cent of motorists paying more than £8.

Mr Livingstone said that he had asked Transport for London to draw up proposals to amend the congestion charge scheme from 2008. The discounts will be introduced first and the higher rates by 2010.

He said: “My aim is to see the cutting of carbon emissions and the protection of our environment at the heart of the [congestion charge] scheme.

“There is a growing sense of concern amongst Londoners about climate change caused by CO2 emissions, which is the biggest single problem facing humanity, and tackling this threat requires decisive action.

“I want TfL to look at lower congestion charges for cars responsible for lower-than-average CO2 emissions, broadly the retention of the current rate of £8 for most cars, and much steeper charges of perhaps £25 for the really environmentally damaging cars such as the so-called Chelsea tractors.”

The AA Motoring Trust said: “A focus on so-called gas-guzzlers smacks of jumping on a bandwagon. The hardest-hit are often drivers who are trying simply to go about their lives in the most efficient and cost- effective way.

“The war on 4x4s in London has reached new heights and is in danger of going over the top. They already pay a recently introduced top-rate road tax, and probably pay more fuel duty and VAT as they use more fuel.”

Angie Bray, the London Assembly Conservative Leader, gave warning that the move could leave families stranded and damage small business.

“Cutting pollution is a good thing but this change will hit small businesses and families.

“Reducing the charge during the period when the roads are quiet would be a much better way to cut congestion and therefore emissions.

“We all want cleaner air in London but this could be a very painful way forward.”

Sian Berry, of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4s, said that the group’s research had found that a £25 charge would deter 40 per cent of 4X4s from entering Central London.

“We are delighted that the mayor has taken on the problems caused by big, gas-guzzling cars in our city with so much enthusiasm,” she said.

“There is simply no place for these monsters in our cities and the evidence shows that financial penalties, like a £25 congestion charge, will make a real difference.”

[bogeyman]

Not shot.

Stripped naked, tied the the oversize bonnet of their transportational monstrocity and towed through the streets to the ridicule of others before being ceremonially doused in petrol and burnt along with the offending vehicle.

Sounds fair!

[DimPrawn]

It's obvious what the next step is.

Reduce the top band emission level until it equals the lower band and hey presto, everyones paying £25 to drive near London.

Then define London as anywhere in southern England.

Only fair.

[The Lone Gunman]

Petty jealousy and populism. That is all it is.

Why shouldnt someone run a 4x4 if they want to?
If you take the argument about necessity to the extreme then surely the charge should be based on capacity/occupants ultimately leading to everyone without passengers riding single seat scooters, but that would lead to an upsurge in 2 seater sports cars.
If it is about fuel economy and emmisions then why are motorbikes exempt? Some of the most popular bikes guzzle fuel for fun.

Just how is Kens system going to know unless he has access to the DVLA computer and if he does then there are questions of security to be asked.

My weapon of choice would be one of these http://www.internationaldelivers.com...Family/cxt.asp (cant be arsed to link the image in) possibly with the green diesel or hybrid engine to piss off Ken.

[bogeyman]

Why shouldnt someone run a 4x4 if they want to?

Why shouldn't someone take a dump on the pavement if they want to?

[The Lone Gunman]

Why shouldn't someone take a dump on the pavement if they want to?

What a ridiculous argument. There is a world of difference between taking a dump on the pavement and driving a "luxury" motor.
I had thought you to be quite reasonable up to now. I hadn't realised that you were into social engineering. I suppose you think we should all have the same car, same house, same income etc?

[DimPrawn]

FFS why can't people sell the 4x4's and drive stretched limos what like the MP's travel in?

[bogeyman]

I had thought you to be quite reasonable up to now. I hadn't realised that you were into social engineering. I suppose you think we should all have the same car, same house, same income etc?

Absolutely!

Lighten up for ****s sake.