Richard Askew

...the London Congestion Charge and what are they doing to get around it?

..need info for a piece of research I'm doing at the mo so all assistance appreciated..

Cheers
R

andrewdelvard

Found this quite a useful site....

http://www.disabled.driverinfo.btint...loncharge.html

RobinSherwood

Dear Richard,

I've posted my view on the other threads on this topic but here we go again

"I work in the 'medical mile' and many of our patients travel from all over the UK to see us. Many of these people are not fit enough to travel by public transport so have to be brought by car. They already have to pay nearly £5 an hour parking to Westminster and another £5 for the CC is going to be tough on these people. It would be easy to say if people can afford private medicine they can afford an extra £5 but I can assure you this is not the case, many patients struggle to pay the fees and whilst we try never to turn anyone away because they can't afford it ultimately there is only so far we can go as we are a business and not a charity. The treatement we offer is also not available anywhere else in the world.
Ours is not the only practice whose patients will be affected in this way."

Hope this is of some help.

Regards

Robin

doctor CLIFFORD

I have just got my 4.6 Range Rover put onto GAS this makes it free to enter the city and has also put it onto CHEAP ROAD TAX!!!!

what would scooby do

Also you can get some basic medical kit (oxygen bottle and mask), and register your car as a private ambulance to be exempt

Dracoro

RobinSherwood - would you relocate your offices to outside the congestion charge zone to help these patients? Just a thought. Personally the CC is a complete farce & Ken Livingstone has a LOT to answer for.

[Edited by Dracoro - 1/14/2003 11:44:06 PM]

Regacy

I work in Hammersmith so don't end up driving into the charging zone.
But I'm dreading the effect on parking round here.
I can see the signs going up already.
'LAST CHANCE TO PARK BEFORE CHARGES'
The prices are going to go through the roof.
I should buy a few season tickets now and sub-let the spaces next month!
r

what would scooby do

Regacy - it's already started to happen. We use an underground carpark on Sloan Street, and the attendants there are saying it's overbooked and even people with season tickets may not actually get a space..

RobinSherwood

Hi Dracoro,

There are a number of reasons why moving outside the charging zone would not be practical.

The key one is all the infrastructure for the medical community is already in this area, path labs, x-ray and other diagnostic centres which we can usually get a patient booked into within 15-45 minutes and are easy walking distance from our front door.

The second issue which would not be impossible to overcome is that many of the properties in Harley Street, Wimpole Street, Devonshire Place etc.,.. already have medical licences. If we moved out of 'the medical mile' there would be the added complication of obtaining a medical license for the building.

If all the doctors and dentists in this area moved out and in to another specific area that would work. But would that actually acheive anything? Harley Street and Wimpole Street are not badly affected by congestion despite their proximity to Oxford Streeta nd all the people who come here every day.

Kind regards

Robin

Regacy

Presumably if you can afford to go to Harley Street then a couple of quid for Ken won't really dent your wallet.
And if you work there....
Stop being so tight and enjoy the empty roads.
r

RobinSherwood

Regacy,

If you have read my orignal post you will see that is precisely the point I am making. Many people DO STRUGGLE to meet the fees as things stand. The sad irony is that as a rule the people who could afford to pay the fees have medical insurance, those that can't easily afford the fees also tend not to be insured.

I also have not complained on my own behalf in any of my posts.

Though in fact this is a family business and I work here to ensure what we do becomes more widely available and does not disappear when my father retires. I'll turn my attention to earning myself some serious money later on.

In any case we have a secure off street parking place outside the congestion charging zone, so it does not directly affect me. My complaint all along has been on behalf of our patients.

Kind regards

Robin

Chris L

Good on you Dr Clifford. Point being since when did this turn from a congestion charge to a pollution charge? Surely your vehicle causes as much congestion as the next - be it gas powered or not. Not having a go BTW, just I can't make sense of it.

I did hear that any vehicle with 7 seats or more is exempt - don't know if anyone can confirm it. If that's the case, I predict a run on knackered old Transit minibuses!

Chris

what would scooby do

Exemption #1

NHS patients who have been diagnosed as too clinically ill or disabled to travel by public transport to attend an appointment.

what would scooby do

Buses exemption - 9 seats or more...

All Public Service Vehicles - buses and coaches with 9 or more seats which are licensed in the 'bus class' with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency are fully exempt. They do not have to be registered to get the exemption.

what would scooby do

Alternative fuel exemption..

Alternative Fuel Cars
Vehicles using gas, electric, fuel cells and bi/dual fuel will be freed from paying the charge (this does not include the Smart car).
But they must be approved vehicles that have been converted by an approved supplier as listed on the Transport Action Register maintained by the Energy Saving Trust or an equivalent register maintained by an equivalent body in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Alternative fuel goods vehicles (vans and lorries) must meet Euro III emissions standards or higher and alternative fuel cars and light commercial vehicles must meet emissions standards that are 40% above Euro IV standards.
To gain exemption for these types of vehicles, the owners will have to register with Transport for London and pay the £10 administration and verification fee.

what would scooby do

ahaaa - more information for NHS etc..

Vehicles used by the police, fire and ambulance and lifeboat services. All emergency service vehicles that are Vehicle Excise Duty exempt are fully exempt from the congestion charge. They can be driven anywhere in the zone at any time without paying and nothing has to be done to be eligible for this exemption.
Vehicles used by certain NHS staff while on duty including locum and agency staff, are exempt. This applies to journeys where they are carrying, items including bulky, heavy or fragile equipment, confidential patient notes and controlled drugs.
NHS staff on call to provide services in an emergency.
Vehicles used by certain NHS patients attending hospital appointments, such as people who have compromised immune systems, require regular therapy or assessment or who require recurrent surgical intervention.
NHS patients who have been diagnosed as too clinically ill or disabled to travel by public transport to attend an appointment.

NHS staff driving to and from work are not exempt.

doctor CLIFFORD

Chris L, it is wierd because my motor only does 30 mpg on gas at the best and a fiesta diesel does 60 mpg and pays full price for road tax and its twice the size and he has to pay full price to get into the city???

DavidLewis

Become a MP, then a cabinet minister. Get in one of your 2 Jags and "Hey Presto", no more CC to pay!!!!

boomer

Doc,

you might want to check the fine print!!

LPG alone might not qualify as "charge free" unless you can run your motor for 500 miles on one Camping Gaz cartridge (whilst simultaneously breathing the emissions)!!!

I think that LPG cars already have to comply with 2005 EU emissions limits to skip the charge [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

mb

boomer

Had a few thoughts about this CC in the pub at lunchtime...

a) So the charge doesn't begin until 07:00am! Thus rush hour begins an hour or so earlier, but is equally as bad.

b) And what happens at 06:55??? All those drivers stuck in jams just five minutes from their destination go mental!!! Road rage rules, as they force their way to their final (hidden) parking space!

c) So the charge ends at 06:30pm! Well, that means that all the drivers have time for a quick pint or two after work (or three or four if thay got in at 07:00am). Of course to leave at this time would be madness, so lets wait a couple more pints until the traffic dies down. The result - drink driving/crashes increase by large amounts.

d) Sensible (non-drinking) drivers leave for home, but get caught up in the accidents causes by the DD-ers. Road rage rules as they get peed off waiting to get home.

e) Meanwhile, smart IT guys download the MS-Numberplate font, and print their managers registration on A4 sheets that they then blu-tak to the back of buses. Mass protests and arguments ensue as to which cars were actually driving.

f) to zz) fill in your own (probably not so ridiculous) scenario!

What a total ****!!!!!!

Next you will be telling me that David Blunket wants to introduce identity cards

mb

barge

mmm

My Early shift starts at 06:00am, I work above liverpool street station.

I used to drive to work & park in White Row car park which is just off comercial street E1, the charges were £2 up to 6am then £6 until 7pm, not bad meant I parked all day for £8, this car park is in the zone, so they have changed the pricing, its now £2 per hour or part hour, so i need to park at 05:45 until 16:15 thats £14 parking plus £5 + petrol + insurance + + + just not worth it, my boss has said we can now start later [06:30] which means early tube & a walk