So I think honestly that the ULEZ is not so bad as people feared, and the issue is a Tory led “wedge”
Good Morning Thursday 7th May 2026
Are you irritating in RL? (light hearted)
Labour overturned a large Tory majority to take Selby. The candidate is only 25, so will be the youngest MP.
The LDs took Frome and Somerset, by a large majority, from the Tories.
The Tories narrowly held Uxbridge (495 votes), thought to be because of the unpopular "Ulez factor".
Not a good night for the Tories, as Ulez won't be a factor in a GE.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-66181315
So I think honestly that the ULEZ is not so bad as people feared, and the issue is a Tory led “wedge”
MaizieD
Whitewavemark2
Any car younger than 2005 will not have to pay the tax. I read that somewhere. 2015 was also mentioned but I forget in what context.
2005 is pretty old for a car.I posted that yesterday. It was from the Observer.
It's the age of exempt diesel cars which seems to be unclear. Some posters are saying that it's post 2015 registrations for diesel cars.
That makes sense, because changes were made so the emissions were reduced in the engines of diesel cars then. That’s why those of us (like me) with diesel cars need AdBlue these days, it is injected into the catalytic converter to break down soot and unburnt fuel into water and nitrogen, which reduces pollution considerably.
Whitewavemark2
Any car younger than 2005 will not have to pay the tax. I read that somewhere. 2015 was also mentioned but I forget in what context.
2005 is pretty old for a car.
I posted that yesterday. It was from the Observer.
It's the age of exempt diesel cars which seems to be unclear. Some posters are saying that it's post 2015 registrations for diesel cars.
Any car younger than 2005 will not have to pay the tax. I read that somewhere. 2015 was also mentioned but I forget in what context.
2005 is pretty old for a car.
Has anyone been fined £90 for travelling in Ulez simply because signing was not obvious? In mitigation a sleep deprived parent who is usually on the ball …. Still a very annoying experience.
Iam64
MaizieD - it was a typo. Not that it matters
It mattered enough for you to have a go at ronib.🤔
And, as I pointed out, it's often not a typo...
MaizieD - it was a typo. Not that it matters
icanhandthemback
^Diesel cars that meet the standards are generally those first registered with the DVLA after September 2015^
So those many diesel cars on the road pre-2015 will be included and they'll be owned by people with less money.
I am in complete sympathy with the probably less well off owners of diesel cars, or of any ineligible vehicles, who will be caught by the charges, but I can't help feeling that the adverse effects of the imposition of ULEZ were probably grossly exaggerated by the tories in Uxbridge for purely political purposes.
It's strongly reminiscent of the fuss about 15 minute areas, not to mention the exaggerations that drove the leave campaign in 2016.
Mind you, Labour didn't exactly handle the issue astutely...
Diesel cars that meet the standards are generally those first registered with the DVLA after September 2015
So those many diesel cars on the road pre-2015 will be included and they'll be owned by people with less money.
I agree about the scrapage scheme but that doesn't make the misinformation right.
According to the Observer today the ULEZ charge mostly applies to cars registered before 2005 and vans registered before 2015. (The article didn't mention diesel cars).
So how many people would it really adversely affect?
I hope this doesn't sound unsympathetic. There really should be a good scrappage scheme alongside it.
Iam64
ronib
Iam64 don’t like the idea of remainders on this site - remainers I think are preferable.
ronib, it’s usually considered unnecessary and rather rude to correct spellings, grammar or obvious typos.
But alluding to remain voters as 'remainders' isn't a spelling, grammar or typological error. I have frequently seen the word used to describe remain voters. I thought it was deliberate.
I didn't think ronib was being rude at all.
Iam64 sorry I couldn’t resist!
ronib
Iam64 don’t like the idea of remainders on this site - remainers I think are preferable.
ronib, it’s usually considered unnecessary and rather rude to correct spellings, grammar or obvious typos.
HousePlantQueen
*Would you have voted for him I couldn’t even tell you what he said because I didn’t even read the leaflet that dropped through my door I took one look at his face and made my mind up instantly*, but why Nanashirlz? If you did not read the leaflet how could you possibly form an opinion in order to vote?
I want someone who believes that they are the person to make a difference and deserve my vote and none of them did that.
I’m not saying we all have to give up our cars. I couldn’t. I live next to a bus that can take me to the local town but not the one where my son lives. Or my daughter who lives in the next village. I can get a bus to the station, though. But, for those who can’t how about free parking at the station and good public transport at the other end, with an option to hire an electric car at the other end. We need an integrated system so we can use our cars less if we want to.
My car has an eco engine, there is no way I will give it up whilst I am capable of driving.
What would you propose for those of us who have to go miles to get to a train station in the first place
I don't think it is for us to "propose" anything fancythat. It's for you to have a say. You should be facilitated in that by putting you in touch with other communities with similar issues, and by having experts available, and finally by having meetings with the areas you will join on to so that a joint decision can be made. This could be a slightly smaller version of Citizens Juries.
I couldn't agree more MayBee. We need a total transport system. One which suits each local area but seamlessly joins areas, and the country, together.
What would you propose for those of us who have to go miles to get to a train station in the first place?
The nearest village did use to have a bus go through once a week.
Then it changed to there being a bus going to a town supermarket once a week.
Been nothing now for about 5 years.
Not that I blame anyone. We live in the back of beyond.
Cars are the answer if you see what I mean.
They enable millions to get about.
Public transport is a backward step for millions of people. Back to circa 1940?
Why are we just thinking in terms of everyone being dependent on having a car! Should we not be thinking ahead to a way of people being able to use public transport easily and cheaply? Should we not be able to eg take a train somewhere and then have transport if some kind at the other end; not just buses but electric cars that can be hired. I read once that Japan had a ministry of forward planning: do we have something like that here? (I’ve just been sat in a car for a few hours and my brain has been ticking away!)
Iam64 don’t like the idea of remainders on this site - remainers I think are preferable.
DaisyAnn is correct to point to ‘the real majority’. Listen to any radio phone-in, talk to people in shops, cafes, very few support this dreadful government.
Yes, they also made a mess of Brexit but I don’t understand your criticism of a couldn’t care less majority. They’re alive and well in gransnet currently . Are they remainders?
I would have thought it included those who voted against Brexit plus those who voted for it, but had never envisaged the hard Brexit that resulted.
DaisyAnneReturns
ronib
The turnout was very poor. Difficult to predict the general election therefore.
That sounds like a poor loser ronib. This, is a very significant moment in the journey of the self implosion of the Conservstive party, which once had a majority of 80, but will lose it because of their self obsession.
Just think what a true Conservative government might have done for all the people of this county. Instead their extremism brought both division of the country and their party, chaos in their determination to take the country in ways that no real majority ever wanted and failure in their ability to govern and to grow the economy, to bring the people together and to see a future for all.
So that's their legacy: Division, Chaos and Failure.
Please explain "the real majority". Or are you alluding to losing Brexit because so many couldn't be bothered to get out and vote, the couldn't care less majority.
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