London Emission Zones

[Bagheera]

A reminder to everybody that the London Low Emission Zone and the Ultra Low Emission Zone are both now live.

The Ultra Emission Low Zone can be seen at https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-where-and-when. I think, at present, it coincides with the Congestion Charge Zone but, unlike the Congestion Charge, it operates 24/7 and the Emission Charge must be paid on top of any Congestion Charge.

The Low Emission Zone can be seen at https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone/about-the-lez. It also operates 24/7

Note that if you do not get off the M4 for the M25, getting off at the Heathrow Junction will incur the Emission Charge if your vehicle is not exempt - even if you just go round the roundabout and back.  However, the roundabout at Junction 3 is not in the Low Emission Zone so, rather perversely, it will be cheaper to go on to Junction 3 and turn round if you have missed the M25 junction by mistake.

You can check if a UK registered vehicle will be charged or not at https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle-35896.

If your vehicle is foreign registered, you can register it with TFL if you think it should have an exemption but otherwise it will be assumed not to apply. This will, for example, apply to any visitors from St Benoit who drive here (although the last I heard, the French authorities were refusing UK requests for details of French owners if vehicles were caught by speed cameras).

[Watchman]

Thanks for the advice/reminder.
My older 06 reg. car is acceptable, the 'newer' 10 reg. is not!
Weird!
No guesses as to which one I don't drive to London in!

[Birdman]

As I understand it, the Low Emission Zone does not apply to private vehicles? Am I right?

[Roger]

I thought it was for private cars too, although I may be wrong. I checked my car and it failed the test. I read that the French are refusing to give us access to French registered cars.

[Merriman]

As I understand it, the Low Emission Zone does not apply to private vehicles? Am I right?

The opening statement on the Low Emission Zone website states that:The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was set up to encourage the most polluting heavy diesel vehicles driving in the Capital to become cleaner.
It has been in force for sometime and my take on it was that it was older diesel HGV's. I didn't think it likely that a properly maintained car would have the ability to be as polluting due to the size of the engine.

[Bagheera]

It is based on the emission criteria at the time of manufacture. The 2006 diesel I drove until Christmas would come under the standard limit but above the ultra low one.  Our 13 year old petrol car meets both.

The French have refused to give details for some time - this applies to parking and speeding fines as well. The UK has refused to give details of UK registered cars to the French in retaliation

[Aries]

I'm puzzled about the remarks from Bagheera:

"Note that if you do not get off the M4 for the M25, getting off at the Heathrow Junction will incur the Emission Charge if your vehicle is not exempt - even if you just go round the roundabout and back.  However, the roundabout at Junction 3 is not in the Low Emission Zone so, rather perversely, it will be cheaper to go on to Junction 3 and turn round if you have missed the M25 junction by mistake."

If you download the maps (and detailed sheets)  from TFL, they show a corridor of the M4 up to and including Junction 3 (Hillingdon Parkway) which is excluded from the LEZ.  The boundaries are clearly marked to show a circuit of the roundabouts would be excluded from the LEZ.  Is TFL misbehaving?

https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/low-emission-zone

See:

121-hillingdon-m4-to-the-parkway.pdf

117-hillingdon-m4-holloway-ln.pdf

Just checked our own vehicles and they are exempt - so all a bit academic at the moment

[Bagheera]

I agree that it seems a bit odd, Aries.

I have not been up there for a few months but last time I did there were signs showing I was entering the LEZ on the way down the slip road at J4 eastbound.

I think, though, the answer is to check your car BEFORE driving inside the M25 - and to check again in future as the restrictions will only get tighter.