London Congestion Charges
LEZ - Low Emission Zone for Greater London
On the 4th February 2008 a Low Emission Zone in London will be introduced. It is the first scheme of its kind in the UK. London's air pollution is the worst of any city in the UK and amongst the worst is London and Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, is planning to deter the most polluting diesel-engined lorries, buses, coaches, minibuses and large vans from the city.
What is the Greater London Low Emission Zone?
The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) will be a specified area within London where diesel-engined vehicles will be required to meet specific emissions standards. Those vehicles that do not meet the standards will need to pay a daily charge. The LEZ will not apply to cars, motorcycles or small vans (under 1.205 tonnes unladen weight).
Which vehicles will the LEZ apply to?
The LEZ will mainly affect older, diesel engined lorries, buses, coaches, large vans (exceeding 1.205 tonnes unladen weight) and minibuses (over 8 seats and below 5 tonnes).
*Euro III - All vehicles registered as new on or after the 1st October 2001 are assumed to be Euro III and will meet the LEZ emissions standards. Vehicles not meeting the emissions standards can be modified to do so.
**Euro IV - All vehicles registered as new on or after the 1st October 2006 are assumed to be Euro IV and will meet the LEZ emissions standards.
Where will the LEZ operate?
The Low Emission Zone covers most of Greater London, following the Greater London Authority boundary. The M25 motorway is not included in the LEZ. Visit cclondon.com for further details.
When will the LEZ operate?
The LEZ will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year from the 4th February 2008.
So What is LPG?
LPG stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas. It is a mixture of Propane and Butane, extracted from fields as a gas it is a by product of oil production, and under pressure has the unique property of becoming a storable liquid. With 60% of UK LPG seperated from natural gas products LPG is recognised as a low carbon alternative to diesel and petrol.
LPG Vehicle Fuel
LPG is the most viable alternative fuel in the UK, similar to conventional fuels for handling, ease of use and availability. LPG is perfectly safe, and LPG reservoir tanks are three times more durable than manufacturers conventional fuel tanks. LPG like conventional fuels is purchased by the litre from pumps that are virtually identical to normal petrol/diesel pumps at over 1200 petrol stations (increasing daily) across Britain. Vehicle performance using LPG is also similar to that of the traditionally fueled versions.
LPG Conversions
An LPG conversion results in a Bi-Fuelled vehicle which means that you can use either L.P.G. or Petrol. This is possible because the conversion consists of adding a second independant fuel system to the vehicle for which a seperate dedicated tank is fitted. You can change between the two fuels using a switch. The second fuel tank is installed in the spare wheel bay or in an alternative space.
The Financial Benefits of LPG
There are substantial financial benefits to L.P.G. fuelled vehicles including cheaper fuel, congestion charge exemption and lower road fund licence (road tax). The prices of LPG fuel are much lower than that of petrol and diesel costing around 45p per litre as opposed to 89p for petrol and 92p for diesel (prices correct at time of publication).
As L.P.G. fuelled vehicles are exempt from the London Congestion Charging scheme regular drivers in London will save £8 per day. In order to achieve exemption from the congestion charging, the vehicle must adhere to a 40% better than Euro IV emissions standards which also means that the vehicle is eligible for a lower banding of and therefore cheaper Road Fund Licence (Road Tax). The current RFL payable on a light goods vehicle is £165 and with the Euro IV compliant fuelled van is £110. This all in all means that by driving an LPG van could potentially save you over £3500 per year!
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