The AA has warned that thousands of Brits flying out of Heathrow may be subject to a “hidden” new tax starting this summer for entering and exiting the airport.
The AA expressed worry that many vacationers who want to drive to and from Heathrow are “blind to the new ULEZ costs” that would be implemented and said that the airport is failing to inform travelers of the changes.
To improve air quality, Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, is extending the extremely low emission zone to include the whole city as of August 29. Vessels that do not comply with the minimal requirements must pay a daily cost of £12.50. According to Transport for London (TfL), the impacted drivers of non-compliant cars will number over 200,000.
Heathrow will be a part of the expanded zone, and as of this day, drivers to the airport will have to pay a total of $25 for the in-and-out fees.
“Drivers and taxi companies from outside London will be stung with a hidden price,” said Jack Cousens, director of roads policy for the AA, to the Telegraph. “Heathrow, TfL, and travel brokers need to ensure they warn vacationers about the levy.”
Many tourists would believe that the ULEZ extension just affects London, but in fact, the new borders include considerably more than people realize.
On the pages for “terminal drop off fees” and “driving to and from Heathrow,” there doesn’t seem to be any information on the ULEZ fee.
Based on estimates that 100,000 automobiles go to Heathrow everyday and study results that roughly 11% of vehicles are not ULEZ compliant, the motoring organization calculated that about 10,000 cars driving to Heathrow every day might be affected by the levy.
Drivers are already assessed a £5 drop-off fee at Heathrow.
For a response, MailOnline has gotten in touch with TfL and Heathrow Airport.
In order to avoid being affected by the projected extension of London’s ultra low emission zone (ULEZ), families in the city are facing a lack of affordable secondhand automobiles.
Statistics from Auto Trader – which is used by nearly four out of five UK vehicle sellers – reveal the average cost of petrol and diesel automobiles for sale in London which are not liable for the ULEZ levy is £15,000 and £19,991 respectively.
Much more expensive, at £36,102, are electric cars generally priced.
In addition, only 5,150 ULEZ-compliant vehicles are offered for sale in London at prices of £5,000 or less, according to information provided to the PA news agency.
To decrease deaths from “toxic air,” a spokeswoman for the mayor said that ULEZ expansion is “absolutely necessary.”
As the Covid-19 outbreak disrupted the supply chain, the amount of new automobiles manufactured in the UK last year dropped to its lowest level since 1956, causing used car prices to reach record highs.
A £110 million scrappage program administered by Transport for London (TfL) gives up to £2,000 to recipients of certain low-income or disability benefits who own noncompliant vehicles.
Low-income families will be disproportionately affected by the changes, according to a TfL-commissioned analysis by consultant Jacobs that was released in May 2022, “owing to their weaker ability to transition to a compliant vehicle and/or to shift modes.”
Three out of ten UK citizens, according to recent study by the Financial Conduct Authority, have savings totaling little more than £1,000.
According to Erin Baker, editorial director of Car Trader, “A £2,000 scrappage program is a drop in the ocean for low-income drivers in outer London who wish to avoid ULEZ payments when the average price of a secondhand vehicle is £18,000.”
“Drivers seeking for less expensive methods to avoid the charge are also having difficulty.
When there is a cost-of-living issue, the lack of inexpensive solutions for individuals on smaller budgets is a serious concern. The effect of the Covid epidemic is expected to keep used vehicle prices high for some time.
Many people who are unable to utilize public transportation will be placed in an untenable situation.
“While cleaning up London’s air is undeniably the right thing to do, the next ULEZ expansion comes at a time when many households are struggling with high bills in the cost-of-living crisis and simply can’t afford to switch to a compliant vehicle, especially in what is currently an extremely pricey second-hand market,” said Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC.
The mayor need to take into account a more generous scrappage program or a means-tested, subsidized lease program supported by TfL for individuals who must use their cars on a daily basis.
“The mayor has been clear that the decision to extend the very low emission zone London-wide was not an easy one, but with nearly 4,000 Londoners still dying from poisonous air every year it is absolutely essential,” the mayor’s spokesperson said.
“In outer London, 85% of cars are currently ULEZ compliant.”
For those who aren’t aware, the mayor has unveiled the largest scrappage program to date, worth £110 million, to aid charities, small companies, and Londoners who are struggling to make ends meet, such as the city’s low-income and handicapped residents.
‘Businesses and charities may also apply for a subsidy to adapt, rather than replace, particular cars.’
In general, diesel vehicles must have been registered after September 2015 to be free from the ULEZ fee, but the majority of petrol vehicles registered after 2005 are exempt.
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