Advice on DRIVING to, in and around London (RE: Restrictions/fines etc) this week (11th Feb 22)

FrankFalcon

Hi all

This might seem like a bit of a silly post but living in The North of UK and not being able to travel to London (mainly because of C19) I am not where like I should be up to speed with the rules, regulations, fines, zones etc in The Capital.  There are some specifics in that post that can't be changed so I'd be grateful of specific advice.

So, to start.  My wife is working in London tonight (Wed 9th Feb).  She is staying at a Hotel at Postcode EC4V 5EJ.  She went by Train from Manchester this morning.  

I am working in Surrey on Friday so we've decided to stay in London for 2 nights (Wednesday AND Thursday) and head for Surrey on Friday morning.  Therefore...

I am DRIVING to London today at 3pm to meet up with my wife in London tonight.

QUESTION 1, Taking into account the Postcode of the Hotel and that I am DRIVING from Manchester is it better to Park close to the Hotel AT POSTCODE  EC4V 5EJ (Their website says there's a car park nearby) or is it better to Park outside London and get the tube in? I ask this because I am not sure what zones will I encounter? What fines? What restrictions? My car is a 2020 Reg Audi Q7 and as far as I am aware it doesn't qualify for fines.  I was driving in Finsbury Park/Arsenal over Christmas etc and I haven't received any letters/fines through the post so I guess the car is ok for emissions?

Sorry to sound so dumb but I'm genuinely confused with all the restrictions.

Please take into account I MUST drive because I need to visit various businesses in Surrey on Friday and also we may visit somewhere nice over the weekend.

Thanks in advance.

PS. I'd be grateful of specific advice if possible, such as car parks, tube stops, staions etc.

Given that I need to leave London on Friday morning at around 6am and head for Surrey 

emmajones1976

Parking in that part of London wont be cheap whatsoever..
Normally I would park at the end of the Jubilee Line near Stanmore, either on a street nearby or at the station itself, and get the Tube in, but that would involve doubling back on yourself to get the car if you are then off to Surrey.

You wouldnt have to pay the ULED charge as your car is relatively new. The postcode you gave us doesnt exist so no idea if its part of the inner congestion change though, I would guess it is. But if you park at the outskirts thats not an issue.

lisyloo

There are no fines just charges.
the congestion charge zone is £15 in advance £17.50 otherwise, map here
https://lruc.content.tfl.gov.uk/congestion-charge-area-map.pdf
this is for 07:00-22:00 per day

I suspect your wife’s hotel is in it (postcode correct?)
but Finsbury Park is not

the ultra low emission zone is £12.50 but you may be ok.
you can check your car here 
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/cars?intcmp=52215

Also bear in mind parking in the city will be expensive (could easily be £30 or even £50 at some hotels).

when I go for a weekend, I used a site called justpark.co.uk and I find a driveway just outside the congestion charge zone
You can then get a tube, Uber or bus.
we usually use an Uber for convenience especially with luggage.
tubes and buses can be packed in rush hour.

so it’s all down to convenience and cost.

wherever you are parking I would recommend reserving in advance.

i have also found that sometimes ncp have offers on at certain car parks so that might be worth checking.

so it’s a case of weighing up cost vs convenience and of course how you feel about covid.
compliance with mask wearing on the tubes in low.
uber are very good and their drivers have to do facial recognition in a mask.
they sometimes open the doors for you or wipe the handles etc.
if you are using Uber then try to get as cLose as possible to the congestion zone.
i have found parking for as little as £5 in secure car parks so check a few areas.

personally I use just park (outside the zone) and get an Uber

FrankFalcon

Thanks guys.  

Firstly, that postcode should say EC4V 5AJ (St Paul's Cathederal).  After reading your advice I can genuinely say I am shocked at how much it would cost me to stay over in London with my car for 1 night (2 days charge and car parking).  Therefore, (I don't want to get to political) it is clear that the plans in place to stop cars driving around Central London are working. 

So, thanks to the guys who have taken the time to advise me what to do.  I am going to park outside the charging zone somewhere that will make it easy for me to get a tube from St Paul's area to somewhere with secure parking which is en route to Surrey.  A friend offered me free parking in Finchley but that would mean going North (from St Paul's) to then drive Souith towards Surrey the following day.  Any further advice would be cool guys.
Thanks

emmajones1976

I think whatever you do, you are going to end up doubling back on yourself. If you park up north of London then you have to go back up there to get your car after your 2 days there. If you park up south of London you are going to have to double back up to London to have your 2 days there.

Only you can decide which one of the two is preferable.

Another option would be to park somewhere west or east of London, you are going to have to go halfway round the M25 anyway, probably around the Heathrow side, so maybe look at somewhere around Uxbridge which is at the end of the Metropolitan line,

lisyloo

I have used Earl’s Court in the past coming in from the m4.
its very easy driving wise, a little pricey on uber (but the district line goes to Victoria).
pimlico is closer if you stay west of Vauxhall bridge road (congestion zone border) but parking a bit more expensive
it’s going to be a trade off as it generally gets more expensive the closer you go, so it’s a case of hunting round to find what’s best for you

I tend to hunt round a few areas on just park and also ncp if there are offers.
you can put in your dates on just park to see what’s available.
sometimes there is a cheap private driveway

read the reviews and instructions, some locked places have limited hours to get keys if they are dependent on a shop or a hotel concierge.

thegreenone

Sorry, late reading but I would drive down to Surrey and leave your car in a station car park near where you will be working on Friday or asking the company you will be visiting, if there's any chance of using theirs.   Get the train into London, enjoy a couple of nights and train back to Surrey on Friday morning.  

lisyloo

Drive to Surrey From Manchester? Then London, then Surrey?

i think I’d find somewhere west London e.g. Hammersmith, Earl’s Court (easy driving) or possibly closer like Pimlico (worse driving but less Uber)

thegreenone

lisyloo said:

Drive to Surrey From Manchester? Then London, then Surrey?

i think I’d find somewhere west London e.g. Hammersmith, Earl’s Court (easy driving) or possibly closer like Pimlico (worse driving but less Uber)

Sigh.

Drive to Surrey, park up, train to London which will avoid all London parking/congestion charges.  Enjoy a couple of nights in London and train back to Surrey for work on Friday morning going the 'wrong way' out of London, so less stress than driving around London suburbs in the rush hour.  Attend meetings, pick up car and drive back to Manchester.

I suspect the OP is on the road now.

lisyloo

Yes I understand (not sure what the sigh is for).
yes train is of course option.
we went by car during the pandemic and have not switched back having found secure parking for as cheap as £4 per day (pandemic prices).
the idea is not to go into London at all, so no real issues with the driving.
earls court is straight off the m4 and dead easy.
for us the terminal train station (Paddington) comes with an onward journey which is longer than the one we get with driving and certainly less pleasant wrt covid (which is still here).
you also have time flexibility which you don’t have with advance tickets although you can of course spend more on flexible train tickets for a hefty fee.

its a matter of choice but having tried both (for many years) we now go by car.

for two people you obviously need to factor in the cost of 2 train tickets

Emmia

lisyloo said:

Yes I understand (not sure what the sigh is for).
yes train is of course option.
we went by car during the pandemic and have not switched back having found secure parking for as cheap as £4 per day (pandemic prices).
the idea is not to go into London at all, so no real issues with the driving.
earls court is straight off the m4 and dead easy.
for us the terminal train station (Paddington) comes with an onward journey which is longer than the one we get with driving and certainly less pleasant wrt covid (which is still here).
you also have time flexibility which you don’t have with advance tickets although you can of course spend more on flexible train tickets for a hefty fee.

its a matter of choice but having tried both (for many years) we now go by car.

for two people you obviously need to factor in the cost of 2 train tickets

And if you're travelling by train together, then look at the two together railcard as that can save more money than the purchase price, even on a single journey.