London Low Emission Zone. Not Stag related

[Richard Saunders]

I may be an ignorant country bumpkin, but at the risk of exposing my naivety I wanted to pass on what I just learned in case others are in the same position as me.

Last week I had to drive into Richmond in my Landrover Defender - the Landrover Defender I pay an annual road tax on and for which I pay additional tax through fuel duty every few days. It's the first time I have driven into London for several years. Today I received a letter through the post from Transport for London telling me that my car is not subject to TFL Low Emision Zone standards and as such, if I want to use it again I will need to pay a daily charge of £100 - £200 depending on my vehicle. Or I could get my car modified which would cost in excess of £1,000.

As I say, I am revealing my naivity and no doubt many of you are already aware of London Low Emission Zone. Just how this has come to pass me by is a bit of a mystery. I thought I would never again be surprised at anything this country's government can throw up, but I'm almost lost for words. Protecting the environment, come on please; the motivations behind the LEZ are nothing more than a naked grab for our wallets. £100/£200 a day for a citizen of this country to drive a legal, roadworthy, tax and duty paid car into his own capital city (or close to it anyway) is an insult.

Rant over.

[Guest]

Yes Richard it's a con, for the las 8 or 9 years ive been paying the congestion charge, which is now £10 per day. It's yet another tax and I've been waiting for other cities to follow but they haven't as yet. The motorist keeps this country afloat!!!
Still, loads of "Boris bikes" are now available to use, expensive to hire and who in their right mind would bycicle around London? I hate the place!

Going for a lie down now

The LEZ is another con, how does stuff get delivered to London???

Jason

[wilf]

Strange - I believed the LEV zones only related to light and heavy goods vehicles, not passenger cars. There are plenty of "cars" with far higher emissions than your Defender.

Is your Defender regarded/ategorized as a LGV or as a passenger vehicle? If it is CSW style I would have thought TfL were in the wrong, but it hs never stopped them in the past.

Just google London low emissions zone rules - I can't see how your vehicle should fall into their cashcow category having had a quick look.

[marshman]

As Wilf says it must be because yours is classed as a goods vehicle - i.e. a pick up or Hi Cap (van). My CSW is classed as PLG and I know is exempt. Arbman on this forum had his Defender modified sometime ago I believe to make it comply. His was a goods vehicle and he used it for his work.

Even my old Escort Diesel van was in line to be charged until they relaxed the rules to exempt vans with an unladen weight of less then 1200kg.

Roger

[singapore stag]

Unless your deisel landy is a county station wagon...meaning it has rear seats and windows and as such is registered as a "passenger vehicle" then its ok BUT if not it will be classed as a Van!!!.

Sukh.

[GDPR]

Pal of mine had the same problem - as his had rear seat and windows, he made them reclassify it as an estate car - they were slightly reluctant but as they couldn't argue it wasn't, they did....

Way to go for you I think Ian...

[Richard Saunders]

It's a Defender 90. Cheaper to tax than my wife's MPV...go figure. At least the Stag is exempt!

[marshman]

It's a Defender 90. Cheaper to tax than my wife's MPV...go figure. At least the Stag is exempt!

How old is it? older than March 2001 and its taxed on engine capacity. My one is cheaper to tax than SWMBO's Mazda MX5!! (and cheaper to insure as well!)

Roger

[Richard Saunders]

Year 2000, 2.5 turbo diesel