How congestion charges are going to affect you or your business
Guest post by Zoe Price
For those who live in London, understanding how hybrid charges work can enable you to plan appropriately in terms of your budget if you work and travel in and around the area. Congestion charges have been developed in order to promote a healthier and cleaner London, and this could well affect you. For more information on how congestion charges are going to affect you or your business, read on.
New Measures in Place
The first new measure to be put in place surrounding emissions is the low emission zone which was passed by the Mayor of London, Mr. Sadiq Khan, in April 2019. Two new measures are also being introduced that aim to improve traffic congestion as well as reduce the pollution of the capital city. If you own or lease a hybrid which cannot be plugged in, you are looking at paying a daily charge in order to drive and park around the city. This charge will stand at £11.50 a day and this includes private hire vehicles such as Ubers. You will be exempt if your vehicle is truly zero-emission. In the future, it looks like pure electric cars will be exempt and in 2025, all vehicles will look to pay this charge.
Why Congestion Charges?
Congestion charges have been introduced to improve the overall air quality in the centre of London. Unfortunately, there are too many vehicles in the city at the moment and the air quality is becoming so poor that the population is becoming affected. Khan stated that these decisions needed to be made to protect the well-being and health of those living and working in London and to minimise the pollution that we are currently contributing to. These congestion charges have been brought into place to hopefully make more commuters utilise public transport, car share, or switch to greener vehicles.
What Does This Mean for Me?
You need to be able to budget effectively whilst taking into account these new charges. This may mean it is easier and less expensive for you to lease a car for your business, rather than own one. However, leading companies such as Vantage Leasing can provide your business with many special offers on a wide range of cars to enable you to cut costs where possible, and make room in your business budget for these congestion charges.
You also may want to think about car sharing and encouraging your employees to do the same if you do own a business. If you commute to work in your car, it may be time to look at other alternatives that may be less expensive for you with the added congestion charges. If you have a car that is zero-emission, you will be exempt from these charges, so this is something to bear in mind if you are looking at getting a new car soon.
Congestion charges are going to affect many, and therefore being prepared for them means that they won’t damage your budget too much. The charges have been introduced for the public health as well as the environment, so whilst they may negatively affect your bank account, they are for the greater good.
