Glasgow/Edinburgh residents, worried about LEZ?
Discussion
http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/drivers-fac...
Been reading this and a few older stories, both Edinburgh and Glasgow seem to be planning widespread, excessive LEZ charges, being as, on average, Glaswegians and to a lesser extent Edinburgers are somewhat poorer than our SE English counterparts with substantially worse public transport links outside the cities this s
t has me very worried, particularly as I commute in a euro 3 car. I think our cities are going to be hit very hard by this horrendous policy.
Am I worrying to much? I am seriously considering selling my, otherwise reliable, older car as I need to commute into Glasgow (public transport would add 45minutes to my hour commute). I freaking hate new(er) cars.
Been reading this and a few older stories, both Edinburgh and Glasgow seem to be planning widespread, excessive LEZ charges, being as, on average, Glaswegians and to a lesser extent Edinburgers are somewhat poorer than our SE English counterparts with substantially worse public transport links outside the cities this s
t has me very worried, particularly as I commute in a euro 3 car. I think our cities are going to be hit very hard by this horrendous policy. Am I worrying to much? I am seriously considering selling my, otherwise reliable, older car as I need to commute into Glasgow (public transport would add 45minutes to my hour commute). I freaking hate new(er) cars.
If it's a daily charge, then I can see many of the buses and taxis staying as they are. The increase in passengers using these highest polluting vehicles to avoid paying £20 per day in their own car will easily cover the daily cost for each vehicle. Unless of course each local council makes these vehicles exempt.
The biggest problem in Aberdeen of recent years has been the councils obsession with closing "rat runs" and putting in sets of traffic lights at every possible junction, which just slows things down as you only get through about 1 in 3 without stopping. Often you get stopped at every set as they aren't sychronised. The more recent sets are even worse, as at a 4 way crossroads traffic is only permitted to go in one direction at a time, resulting in long waits for the other 3 directions. I'm sure that about 50% of traffic lights could be switched off at non-peak times to massively improve traffic flow and reduce pollution, as well as saving a small amount of electricity.
Of course another factor for Aberdeen, is that the bus station, train station and harbour are all within a few hundred meters of each other with large diesel/heavy oil engines idling all day next to the most congested road (Market Street).
The biggest problem in Aberdeen of recent years has been the councils obsession with closing "rat runs" and putting in sets of traffic lights at every possible junction, which just slows things down as you only get through about 1 in 3 without stopping. Often you get stopped at every set as they aren't sychronised. The more recent sets are even worse, as at a 4 way crossroads traffic is only permitted to go in one direction at a time, resulting in long waits for the other 3 directions. I'm sure that about 50% of traffic lights could be switched off at non-peak times to massively improve traffic flow and reduce pollution, as well as saving a small amount of electricity.
Of course another factor for Aberdeen, is that the bus station, train station and harbour are all within a few hundred meters of each other with large diesel/heavy oil engines idling all day next to the most congested road (Market Street).
Given the number of early Euro buses and taxis (helpfully, SPT made all the bus operators put numbers with their Euro emissions on the back) in Glasgow, they'd have an absolute cheek doing this just now. That probably means they will.
I might consider voting for it when every bus/taxi/private hire/council vehicle in the city centre is Euro 5 or later. Not until then. Hope Street has a bus gate, yet it's still one of the most polluted streets in the UK, nothing to do with the knackered taxis idling in the rank next to the emissions test cabin - https://goo.gl/maps/pxoW2gfURFm - the green thing with the beer kegs next to it.
I might consider voting for it when every bus/taxi/private hire/council vehicle in the city centre is Euro 5 or later. Not until then. Hope Street has a bus gate, yet it's still one of the most polluted streets in the UK, nothing to do with the knackered taxis idling in the rank next to the emissions test cabin - https://goo.gl/maps/pxoW2gfURFm - the green thing with the beer kegs next to it.
I doubt there'll be any votes. Edinburgh Council will just impose this with government backing. After all, they've slowed the traffic down to 20mph and it's not a leap of faith to imagine that's part of the game to raise emissions and justify the LEZ. I've got a big Euro4 diesel in town and I'm gonna get hit by this! Just spent £500 putting a towbar on it for me boat!!
No wonder people use false plates so much!
No wonder people use false plates so much!
alangla said:
Given the number of early Euro buses and taxis (helpfully, SPT made all the bus operators put numbers with their Euro emissions on the back) in Glasgow, they'd have an absolute cheek doing this just now. That probably means they will.
In Edinburgh, Lothian buses just announced their first fully-electric buses with plans to gradually replace most of the fleet with them over the next few years. Can't say this is a bad thing; the amount of black crap you see spewed out the older busses is pretty sad. Taxis are another bad offender for this, 20+ year old diesels doing 50k+ a year in the city centre is pretty rank.On the other hand, my 5L V8 is Euro 6 and, £20 road tax increase to £535/yr aside, looks like it'll be fine...!
Mind, I was in Paris at the weekend; on Sunday they had a no-car day, and on Monday you could actually taste the smog... never had anything like that in Edinburgh before!
https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/revealed-r...
Detail's of Edinburgh's proposed LEZ will be released on Friday.
Detail's of Edinburgh's proposed LEZ will be released on Friday.
So in an effort to improve air quality in the centre of Edinburgh they're pushing this LEZ.
While, at the same time they've decimated Princes Street Gardens, which contained some really rather lovely old trees, which would do a grand job of.....wait for it..... improving air quality.
Reason for the 'clearances', because the shops wanted a view to the castle. Some have mentioned the age / safety of the trees, but I don't buy that for a minute.
Idiots.
While, at the same time they've decimated Princes Street Gardens, which contained some really rather lovely old trees, which would do a grand job of.....wait for it..... improving air quality.
Reason for the 'clearances', because the shops wanted a view to the castle. Some have mentioned the age / safety of the trees, but I don't buy that for a minute.
Idiots.
Will wait to see what happens Friday then.
I'm an employee of the Uni and have to travel to any and all campuses/buildings at any time of the day for installation and maintenance of equipment (on call), we often use our private cars for this (Certainly always the case out of hours). I'll bet none of our cars meet requirements so it'll be interesting to read the actual proposed zones, limits, and then what our employer is going to do about it (I'll not comment publicly on how I think that'll go).
I don't actually feel Edinburgh is that polluted. Yeah, it's the old black soot producers I notice but I'd not throw them under the bus
and expect the powers that be not to be coming for me.
Somebody mentioned trees - Yip, more, not less, and replacing what's been lost can surely help.
I'm an employee of the Uni and have to travel to any and all campuses/buildings at any time of the day for installation and maintenance of equipment (on call), we often use our private cars for this (Certainly always the case out of hours). I'll bet none of our cars meet requirements so it'll be interesting to read the actual proposed zones, limits, and then what our employer is going to do about it (I'll not comment publicly on how I think that'll go).
I don't actually feel Edinburgh is that polluted. Yeah, it's the old black soot producers I notice but I'd not throw them under the bus
and expect the powers that be not to be coming for me. Somebody mentioned trees - Yip, more, not less, and replacing what's been lost can surely help.
Terzo123 said:
Klippie said:
Another good reason not to visit Edinburgh...a hateful place to drive I won't miss going there.
This. I've been avoiding the place on a social basis for years. It's too much like hard work to visit there by car.
It's not that much worse than other cities and the peak times are still working hours.
Crazy, stupid idea because it will be implemented by people who don’t have a clue about transport. Edinburgh isn’t London and I believe air quality is pretty good due to the ventilation provided by the natural climate.
If I thought it would be phased in, tackling taxis, busses and lorries over a 10 year period with a phased charge/ban backed up with grants to small businesses while tackling private individuals by way of parking I’d be supportive.
If I thought it would be phased in, tackling taxis, busses and lorries over a 10 year period with a phased charge/ban backed up with grants to small businesses while tackling private individuals by way of parking I’d be supportive.
Black_S3 said:
Crazy, stupid idea because it will be implemented by people who don’t have a clue about transport. Edinburgh isn’t London and I believe air quality is pretty good due to the ventilation provided by the natural climate.
If I thought it would be phased in, tackling taxis, busses and lorries over a 10 year period with a phased charge/ban backed up with grants to small businesses while tackling private individuals by way of parking I’d be supportive.
Remember it's not a ULEZ.If I thought it would be phased in, tackling taxis, busses and lorries over a 10 year period with a phased charge/ban backed up with grants to small businesses while tackling private individuals by way of parking I’d be supportive.
Isn't Murrayfield obe of the most polluted areas of Scotland?
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