Tag Archives: London’s

Motorsport

F1 Driver Gerhard Berger’s Stolen Ferrari Recovered After 28 Years

London’s Metropolitan Police have solved an automotive chilly case. The Organised Vehicle Crime Unit lately recovered a Ferrari 512M that thieves took from Formula One driver Gerhard Berger 28 years in the past in the course of the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola. 

Crooks stole each Berger’s 512M and teammate Jean Alesi’s 355 from a lodge parking zone in the course of the race in 1995. Berger allegedly arrived because the thief was driving away in his Ferrari, in keeping with a contemporary report from GrandPrix.com.


News

All you need to know about London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is one of many clean air zones in operation around the country, which aim to reduce roadside emissions and clear the city’s air.

The zone, which was expanded earlier this year, encompasses each London borough, meaning drivers of some older cars need to pay a fee to drive through the city.

Initially proposed by former London Mayor Boris Johnson in 2015, the ULEZ is a continuation of the T-Charge introduced by Sadiq Khan in 2017, which charged motorists £10 to drive vehicles that did not meet the Euro 4 emissions standard into the central London congestion charge zone.

ULEZ replaced the T-Charge in April 2019. It upped the fee to £12.50 and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, apart from Christmas Day.

In October 2022, the London ULEZ drew over £90 million in eight months, with an average of 1.9 million journeys made into the zone each month.

Plans to introduce an even more restrictive zero-emission zone, meanwhile, in central London were shelved following the most recent expansion of the ULEZ.

Where does the London ULEZ operate?

On 25 October 2021, the ULEZ grew to encompass the area within the borders of the North Circular and South Circular arterial roads.

The ULEZ was further expanded in 2023, now encompassing each London borough – the entire area inside the M25 – as well as Heathrow Airport.

This means drivers of some older cars need to pay a fee to drive through the city, and visit various other important locations.

How does the ULEZ work?

ULEZ sign at Junction pointing to Mill Hill, Arkley and Totteridge

London’s ULEZ currently uses a series of cameras at junctions and along major roads into London. These automatically read registration plates and reference them against a database to identify whether vehicles are, or are not, compliant with the required emission standards.

You can check to see whether a postcode is inside the ULEZ on the Transport for London (TfL) website.

If you drive a non-compliant vehicle into the ULEZ, you must pay the £12.50 fee by midnight on the third day following your journey. For example, if you enter the zone while commuting on a Monday morning, you must pay by 00:00 on the following Thursday.

Mini Cooper S JCW and Audi S1 driving through London at night – side tracking

Opinion

Matt Prior: ULEZ Scrappage Scheme Could be Better Utilized

The effectiveness of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has been a subject of debate, with no clear consensus even among scientific studies. So, it’s not surprising that the expanded version, now the world’s largest such zone, is not receiving unanimous support.

There are several arguments against it, some of which I can understand to varying degrees:

  1. It may not make a significant overall difference, considering that London’s air quality is already improving and more polluting cars will naturally be phased out over time.
  2. Many people don’t particularly want to drive around London but have limited alternatives.
  3. It could disproportionately affect those who can least afford it, especially shift workers.
  4. If the goal is truly to improve air quality, other measures such as banning domestic fireplaces and wood burners could be more effective. However, these measures may not bring in revenue for Transport for London.
  5. Applying the ULEZ to those visiting Heathrow airport could result in significant costs for holidaymakers.
  6. The inclusion of motorcycles in the ULEZ may be seen as pointless.
  7. If authorities didn’t want us to drive diesel cars, they shouldn’t have encouraged their use for the past two decades.
  8. Ultimately, some argue that the ULEZ feels like an attack on personal freedoms.

On the other hand, there is a compelling counter-argument to the issue of personal freedoms, questioning whether we should have the freedom to harm the health of others, particularly infants.

With conflicting viewpoints and no consensus, the ULEZ appears to be a divisive topic, potentially impacting votes on the peripheries of London. Interestingly, the protesters causing damage to ULEZ infrastructure, including about 500 cameras according to the BBC, don’t seem to be as unpopular as other recent dissenters. Nevertheless, the ULEZ is now in operation.

A group of people hold up a Ukranian flag in front of three parked Peugeot ambulances they will donate to Ukraine

News

Non-ULEZ-compliant classics at discounted prices

If you don’t live in London, you might not think that the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) is something you should be concerned about. However, it can actually be good news if you’re looking for a great deal on a car.

The ULEZ is expanding to the outer border of the M25 on August 29th, which means that thousands more motorists will be charged to drive non-compliant cars. As a result, the market for these cars has been flooded, causing prices to drop significantly.

Now is the perfect time to buy a comfortable diesel for your daily commute, a small supermini for quick trips to the store, or even to invest in a potential future classic car.

Using these non-compliant cars outside of built-up areas should not make you feel guilty. The open air in the countryside dilutes the toxic NOx emissions to a level that is not a public health risk.

In addition, many of the diesel cars that don’t meet the NOx standards for the ULEZ actually emit less CO2 than their petrol counterparts. Since CO2 contributes to climate change rather than respiratory illnesses, a good diesel car is often a better choice for the environment.

Here is our selection of the best deals on non-ULEZ cars within a 25-mile radius of central London.

The best deals for non-ULEZ cars for motorway driving

Volkswagen Passat (2006-2010)

2006Volkswagen Passat front tracking

The sixth-generation Passat is a comfortable, refined, and spacious saloon that still holds its class almost 20 years later. We found a 2006 model with a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine – capable of more than 50mpg on the motorway – and 72,000 miles on the odometer listed for sale at £1689.

Chrysler 300C (2005-2010)

Chrysler 300C front tracking drifting

This American car stands out from the rest: about 20% of the 300C was based on the 1996-2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, making it a reliable long-distance cruiser. You can get one with the Mercedes-sourced 3.0-litre diesel V6, with less than 100,000 miles on the clock, for just £2595.

Mercedes-Benz CLS (2004-2010)

Mercedes-Benz CLS 2004 side tracking

You can get your hands on one of the world’s finest grand tourers for as little as £3200. We found one with the same V6 engine as the 300C, a full service history, and just two previous owners. With only 58,800 miles driven in 17 years, it still has plenty of life left.

The best deals on non-ULEZ small cars

Toyota Yaris (1999-2000)

Toyota Yaris 1999 front quarter tracking

If you need an affordable second car for quick trips to the store or for teaching a young driver, you can’t go wrong with the first-generation Yaris. We found a 1999 petrol model with only 65,000 miles on the odometer for just £995.