On the 23rd October, London saw the arrival of the latest charge to clamp down on pollution in the city. The T Charge as it is known, has been introduced in addition to the Congestion Charge and currently only applies to older cars.
For cars that were registered pre-2004, will now have to pay £21.50 per day, that’s £10 on top of the current £11.50 Congestion Charge. In a bid to discourage drivers of older cars that contribute to high pollution levels in the capital’s busiest areas the charge will apply to any diesel or petrol car that doesn’t meet the Euro 4 emission standards.
The charges will apply Monday to Friday from 7am until 6pm and it is estimated that the T Charge will affect approximately 10,000 cars each day.
To make it clear, the T Charge will apply in the zones that the existing Congestion Charge applies in which are easily identifiable by the red circular markings on the roads with a white letter ‘C’.
So how will you know if the charge affects you? Firstly, any diesel or petrol car that was made up until the end of 2004 is likely to be affected. Any car registered since 1st January 2006 will be exempt. If you’re still unsure the Transport for London (TfL) have complied a ‘T-Charge Checker’ which will enable drivers to check if the charge will apply to them.
There are exemptions to the rules such as emergency services vehicles, Ministry of Defence vehicles, roadside assistance vehicles, NHS vehicles and specialist vehicles such as cranes and tractors. Should your car be considered a classic car, 40 years old or more, and qualifies for Historic for Road Tax you may also be exempt.
There will also be a discounted rate for those whose vehicles don’t meet the emission standards but live within the affected zone. This also includes vehicles parked for the day on the roadside that haven’t been used.
To pay the new charge, you can call 0343 222 2222, set up auto payment or visit the TfL website.
If this news has now got you thinking about how to avoid this new charge, then why not consider a lease? We provide by short term leasing and long-term leases all over the country, why not get in touch to find out more? 01332 290173 or complete the form below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
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