Forum Topic

Low emission diesel cars

Hi I went to renew my car parking permit and I am being charged a £75 surcharge because my car is diesel. Although my car is diesel it has low emissions equivalent to band 4 emissions and the website states that 'Band 4 (101-130 g/km) generally correspond with current standard charges'.  Hounslow's parking strategy states that 'the less polluting the vehicle is, the less the user pays for parking'.  Diesels with low emissions are being penalised by the surcharge.  I have written to complain.  I urge other low emission diesel owners to also complain.

Joanna Hill ● 41d9 Comments

If you change vehicles quite regularly, the flip flopping on what is or is not considered environmentally negative is not a problem. However, for a person on a low income or someone who doesn't drive much and tends to keep the same car for a long time (which in terms of staving off global warming is the best thing to do) it can be deeply frustrating and financially crippling.I always believed ULEZ was a regressive tax the direct effect of which was negative overall for the environment but was willing to support it because the money raised goes into public transport. However, if has put a target on the backs of diesel owners which, as the original post shows, are now very much a cash cow for local authorities.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 30d

It is indeed true that gas hobs and even well made wood burner stoves are really quite dangerous for the people living with them. But didn't cave men and nomads deal with smoke filled little dwellings? Yes, but their life expectancy was so much lower than ours. They never had the possibility of experiencing severe arthritis or dementia. We had diesel cars for decades and welcomed the good mpg but as ULEZ approached we switched to a very frugal petrol hybrid. Never felt cheated; when the facts change (climate change and air pollution) so should we. We've now also switched to all electric cooking. Do we suddenly feel better? No, but anything which helps avert or even delay catastrophe must be worth it.

Eric Baker ● 36d

Blue Badge Holders with older diesel vehicles are not fully exempt. Only those that are adapted for certain disabilities and not cost effective to replace. The figure is tiny. Most are Motability category and replaced at 3-5 years. Some are owned by people whose income and disability benefit is minimal or expired by the vacuum in age and severity of disability. There are a lot of over 80s who get no disablity allowance other than Attendance Allowance but did get a proper allowance when in work age.  Hence a new car becomes unaffordable, Motobility Allowance stops at 65 not 67 and thus apart from a Blue Badge, many holders end up losing their freedom mobility altogether.  And in Hounslow, unlike other Boroughs, Blue Badge holders in CPZs have to pay for a Zone permit with no reduction as per the rating of the vehicle.

Raymond Havelock ● 36d

Many now cook using electricity nowadays rather than gas - that is if they cook at all.  Gas and Electricity are so expensive that everyone has tried not to use ovens much and to use air fryers instead and to try most recently not to heat the house at all if possible by cooking!

Philippa Bond ● 37d

I must admit I had not thought of it like that!

Nicholas Beard ● 37d

Diesel cars are low emission in terms of CO2 and buying them is probably better in global warming terms than a petrol car. However, they tend to emit more nitrogen dioxide which is more of an air quality issue. The science on how harmful this actually is in the concentrations you are likely to be experiencing road side is unclear. However, if you have a gas hob and an kitchen which isn't fully ventilated, you will be exposed to concentrations many times than at the busiest junction in Brentford. Claims are often made about how poor air quality caused by motor vehicles is reducing life expectancy but if nitrogen dioxide is responsible then many more people would be dying due to being in their own kitchens.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 37d

I have two friends with diesel cars which are 12 and 14 years old pump out fumes like the old London cabs. But because they both have a blue badge which exempts them from local CPZ also congestion charge and LEZ . There must be thousands of them in London. It's great for them but can't be doing the clean air bit any good.

David Squire ● 38d

I remember when diesel was the car too buy. I had one, no road tax. Now we all need too by an EV. I expect when the petrol and diesel have gone and we all have an EV, it will be BUY A HYDROGEN CAR!

Nicholas Beard ● 39d

The Hounslow Resident Parking Charge website page states:"Diesel surchargesDiesel vehicles release more nitrogen oxides and particulate matter than petrol vehicles. A diesel surcharge for parking can reduce diesel vehicle use and ownership, encouraging switches to more environmentally friendly vehicles. The Council implements a diesel surcharge for resident permits, but not for other permit or parking types."

Tim Henderson ● 40d