Greater Manchester clean air plan targets motor homes

[Tonks]

I have them. But I never need to drive my motorhome in greater manchester.

The GM CAZ is massive, and the existing CAZs are the thin end of the wedge. Before long we will all be affected either directly or indirectly as more and more are introduced. I don't take my own van into cities, but the market town where I live is close enough to a huge town that when they introduce their CAZ I suspect it likely my own town may be subsumed into it. Meanwhile, just one of the places I regularly visit in my van involves travelling very close to or through at least two large towns. Diverting would take me on major roads through two different large towns. I suspect that within the next few years this regular trip, which already costs around £80 in fuel, will also incur CAZ charges of £40+ per round trip. With the fuel costs increasing, these are going to be some of the ways in which diesel owners will be pushed off the roads.

 

[Coolcats]

This is interesting one of my vehicles is OK to drive in all areas except Birmingham and would need an £8 fee. The world has truly gone nuts.

 

[Tonks]

This is interesting one of my vehicles is OK to drive in all areas except Birmingham and would need an £8 fee. The world has truly gone nuts.

Both mine are also good to go except to Brum or London at present, but they will fall foul of the GM CAZ from 2023.

One of the increasing hassles of CAZs is going to be working out whether a trip involves any, and what/when to pay! It would be far easier to have a tag system, where you have a box at the top of your windscreen/behind sun visor which you top up to a certain amount and which is then scanned and the amount deducted as you enter CAZs. The way toll charges are dealt with in much of the USA. It would reduce the number of people accidentally incurring huge fines.

 

[EuroTrotters]

And there is already a Facebook group for school run parents trying to avoid charges. Guess what, several school run routes will mean they all go past our house. Whereas before, they would had the main roads.

 

[Arnside037]

Anybody know if the likes of Google maps, Waze, Garmin , TomTom etc are introducing a option to avoid CAZs in their route planning options. A CAZ as well as a Truck option might be a good upgrade for those of us who have satnavs ... worth the money to avoid the charges and fines.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Simon Meadwell]

My work partner has already started to plan his route to my house avoiding the stealth cameras. So certain roads will become rat runs.

 

[dunnah01]

As long as all the charges go in to making a start on some sort of public transport system in the county as it is utterly useless at the moment and not even close to an alternative transport system

 

[SpeedyDux]

As long as all the charges go in to making a start on some sort of public transport system in the county as it is utterly useless at the moment and not even close to an alternative transport system

The Bath CAZ doesn't apply to private cars yet, due to furious local reaction. Eventually, it will. At the same time, bus services in the area are being cut back further. Illogical, Captain; as Mr Spock would have said.

 

[nicholsong]

View attachment 570122

Why is Manchester using 'Tax Class' as the differentiation for vehicle and not 'Vehicle Category'?

Tac Class is only applicable to UK Registered Vehicles, whereas Vehicle Category is on all standard international vehicle documents.

My own vehicle is now registered in Poland where there is no road tax or equivalent, so goodness knows what Manchester would do about that.

All MHs are Vehicle Category M1 (Special Purpose) - any DVSA Officer will confirm that. I think local authorities are using Tax Class as all V5c documents contain that, because DVLA are interested in claiming the revenue, but many V5c documents do not state the Vehicle Category. DVLA and DVSA do not sing from the same song sheet, even though they are both Agencies of the Department for Transport, who should be coordinating the documentation, and to international standards.

It has all been a mesh for years and should be sorted.

Geoff

 

[nicholsong]

The Bath CAZ doesn't apply to private cars yet, due to furious local reaction. Eventually, it will. At the same time, bus services in the area are being cut back further. Illogical, Captain; as Mr Spock would have said.

What is Bath's definition of 'Private cars'?

As in my post above MHs are Category M1 (Special Purpose). M1 is for private not commercial use, which would be N1.

If Bath are using Vehicle Category and Manchester are using Tax Class it gets even more silly.

I am not sure what the Primary legislation authorising local authorities says about what definitions should be used - or did nobody think about it?

Anyone know?

Geoff

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}