First time driving in central london.

CreditCardChris

In a few days I'm going to have to drive in central london for the first time and I have a few questions. I checked my car registration number and it says it meets the ultra low emissions standard so there's no congestion zone charge, but are there any other charges involved with driving in central london?

Also I downloaded a west minster parking app called ParkRight that I think allows me to park in residential parking spaces as long as I pay via the app? Last thing I wanna do is drive into London and rack up £100 in fees for not knowing about some sneaky charges.

uknick

What car do you have? If it is hybrid or electric you do get 100% congestion charge exemption, as long as you pay the £10 and register for a year. Don't confuse this with the ULEZ charge of £12.50 per day. Completely different charge. If you have a ULEZ applicable petrol/diesel car you will have to pay the £11.50 congestion zone charge.

With regard to parking, I use RingGo. I found it better than the Westminster Council app. If you do have an electric car, in Westminster you only pay for 10 minutes parking to cover each 4 hour period, between 40p and 80p.
.

uknick

I should add, whilst driving in London, do not enter a box junction unless your exit is definitely going to be clear. There are cameras pretty much everywhere. Also, don't let other drivers hassle you to do so, it won't be them paying the fine.

CreditCardChris

uknick wrote: »

I should add, whilst driving in London, do not enter a box junction unless your exit is definitely going to be clear. There are cameras pretty much everywhere. Also, don't let other drivers hassle you to do so, it won't be them paying the fine.

Appreciate the advice, I tend not to let other drivers bully me on the road anyways.

uknick wrote: »

What car do you have? If it is hybrid or electric you do get 100% congestion charge exemption, as long as you pay the £10 and register for a year. Don't confuse this with the ULEZ charge of £12.50 per day. Completely different charge. If you have a ULEZ applicable petrol/diesel car you will have to pay the £11.50 congestion zone charge.

With regard to parking, I use RingGo. I found it better than the Westminster Council app. If you do have an electric car, in Westminster you only pay for 10 minutes parking to cover each 4 hour period, between 40p and 80p.
.

I have a 2015 vw golf diesel. So I'm exempt from the ULEZ charge but I still have to pay the £11.50 charge?

Davy_Jones_II

Correct, if you drive in the zone in active hours you must pay.

Belenus

CreditCardChris wrote: »

In a few days I'm going to have to drive in central london .

Do you have to drive?

If you are on your own and not having to carry heavy items, then you should explore the option of parking outside the centre and outside the congestion charge zone and using public transport.

Driving in London, especially for the first time, is slow and tedious as well as expensive when you add congestion charges and parking charges etc, plus the risk of being fined if you accidentally stray into bus lanes or get stuck in a box junction.

Public transport in central London is excellent and usually quicker than driving and parking.

Sea_Shell

Is driving your only option. I've been driving for 30 years, and I wouldn't even want to do it!!!

It's not for the fainthearted!!

Ectophile

Make sure you have a satnav, or equivalent app on a phone. All the road signs just give directions to other parts of London, never to anywhere outside London. This is no use for someone from out of town.



In my pre-satnav days, when I was stupid enough to drive into London, I resorted to pointing the car in roughly the right direction, and kept driving until I found directions to the M25. Once on the M25, I could go round to where I actually wanted to be.

Goudy

I think most of what's relevant has been written already.

Don't do it if you don't have to, I drive in and out and around Lambeth/Westmister/Southwark every week day and it's no joyous occasion. If I didn't have too, I would park up outside and use public transport as there are some areas close to the Congestion Charge edge with some free street parking if you know where to look.

Yes, there are two charges, Congestion Charge and ULEZ.
The CC you have to pay, the ULEZ is only if your car is on the ULEZ list (generally older cars with high emissions).

Whilst it's true you can pay to park via Apps in most resident bays, the truth is it's very expensive and the amount of bays are very limited. Most of the bays I used to use are now EV charging bays or Car Club bays.

There are some car parks that are close enough to Westminster that still work out the same as the bays per hour (£3ish an hour).
Message me if your interested, one such place is almost on top of Westminster Palace.

Sat Navs around cities, particularly London can be a bit iffy.
Reception in such built up areas tends to suffer and there's so much left, right, right, left in short succession it can drive them up the wall and there's just endless diversions, closed roads and road works that pop up by the hour, not to mention the closed streets for protests and demos, a Sat Nav will take you so far, then you'd probably need to wing it.

Generally, follow the big green, main route signs to get in and out and be careful of black cabs, buses and Hybrids (mini cabs), they think they own the roads, where in fact those that live/drive here know it's the cyclists that do. Just count on everyone of them not following the rules of the road!

onwards&upwards

I used to drive in central London about 15 years ago but I probably wouldn’t now unless I absolutely had to. I’d be tempted to park up near one of the outer tube stations and then switch to public transport, quicker, much less stressful and probably much cheaper too even with the parking charge. You can use contactless to pay so no need to faff about at ticket machines etc.

mobileron

Where you traveling from? forget London.let the train take the strain.
Its not worth it.