Top Ways to Avoid the Dreaded ULEZ Charge Coming to a City Near You...
September 24th, 2021
Driving in the UK – London specifically – has never been more expensive.
From rising fuel costs to spiralling used car prices, it seems that everywhere you turn, there are more ways to part with your hard-earned cash.
Now joining the list comes ULEZ, or Ultra Low Emission Zones.
Currently only in force in the capital, ULEZ is a levy charged on the most polluting vehicles in Central London, meaning only cars that meet the latest emissions standards avoid it.
The average daily fine for a car that does not meet new emissions standards is £12.50, in addition to the congestion charge – that could add up to nearly £65 a week for someone commuting every day.
And while the levy currently only affects London, there are plans to roll it out across the rest of the country in the coming years.
So, how can you avoid being stung by the charge?
The average daily fine for a car that does not meet new emissions standards is £12.50, in addition to the congestion charge – that could add up to nearly £65 a week for someone commuting every day.
A new motor
You might think that the obvious solution is to sell your old, inefficient car and buy one with emissions within the accepted levels.
But stop. Are you really using your car that much anymore? Enough to justify buying a new one?
With more and more of us working from home – the figure doubled over lockdown and plenty of people are in no hurry to return – your car may well sit unused most of the time.
It’s worth calculating how much you really need a car (as opposed to wanting one) before you splash out on something new.
Avoid it
Alternatively, you might decide to simply avoid the ULEZ areas altogether, although that brings its own set of problems.
First, you’ll have to find somewhere to park (and that’s a challenge in itself), which costs a pretty penny, and then you’ll be at the mercy of public transport to get where you’re going – another cost that could soon mount up.
And that’s not to mention the delays and overcrowding…
And while the levy currently only affects London, there are plans to roll it out across the rest of the country in the coming years.
Join the club
If you find you only need a car for a couple of days a week, then the Co Wheels car club could be the answer.
You can hire a car from just £4.75 an hour and we’ve plenty available that are ULEZ compliant, from micro models to electric vehicles.
And on the days you don’t need to drive, there’s nothing sitting on your drive or in the car park costing you money.
With 100s of vehicles across the UK, Co Wheels is not just cheap and convenient, it’s environmentally friendly too - every car club car takes 18.5 private cars off the road in the UK.
For more information, visit the homepage and find out how it works.
Relevant reading
What are pay as you go cars?
Hands up who could live without a car?Doing the school run, a quick trip to the shops, the long commute to work and a short journey to the park with the family. Could you imagine doing this without a car?
How the past year has changed our thoughts on car ownership
Car ownership has become too ingrained in us to just go cold turkey straight away and give up our cars, but we can make baby steps to a big change. If you are part of a multiple car household, then maybe try to go a month without using one of the cars and see how you find it.