London Congestion Charge.

I did a few deliveries around London a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't sure if I crossed into the charging zone or not. I phoned the payment line when I got home and asked if my van had gone into the charging zone. I was told there is no way of checking but would be best off to pay just in case. What a rip off. If they can tell when I have to pay, surely they can type my reg. number in and see if it appeared on their system?

That sound a big con to me, they have to know if you entered the zone as if you had and did not pay how could they fine you?

What you can do is register your vehicle with them and they will automatically charge your account each time you enter the zone. I think you get it a £1.00 cheaper to.

They certainly know they got me not long ago.

Expect a fine of £65 in the post shortly if you did enter the zone and made no payment. Why not google your delivery postcode and see if your in danger of the fine. But if you go into london regularly its best to sign up for direct debits

Mr G Courier Service.Winner of mtvan courier of the week said:

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Expect a fine of £65 in the post shortly if you did enter the zone and made no payment. Why not google your delivery postcode and see if your in danger of the fine. But if you go into london regularly its best to sign up for direct debits

Or do it on a motorcycle... Its free ;)

Garnham Courier Services said:

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I did a few deliveries around London a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't sure if I crossed into the charging zone or not. I phoned the payment line when I got home and asked if my van had gone into the charging zone. I was told there is no way of checking but would be best off to pay just in case. What a rip off. If they can tell when I have to pay, surely they can type my reg. number in and see if it appeared on their system?

Surely when you priced the job you'd have checked whether it was subject to the congestion charge? Most pro owner drivers have got congestion charging zones and bridge tolls implanted in their brains.

My satnavs all have the congestion zone marked and warn me before I set off if I'm planning a route into it - I stop at one of the service stations on the motorway and phone in to pay it before I get there. If I was a London expert, there are times when I could have parked 100 yards or so away and walked into the zone to make the delivery. But I'm not, so I can't.

I would pay it just incase better to pay a tenner than £65! You can also register your van with TFL and it will automatically charge your debit card if you stray into the zone without realising cost £10 a year but your charge is reduced everytime to £9 all depends on how much your in London

I agree Autopay is the best way. You only need to go into the zone 10 days in a year to recoup the cost of the registration fee.

I'm a country boy, so I don't go there often. Last year I went 14 times, BUT I got a new van in the middle and also went in a courtesy van once. Is it free to change registration details when you get a new van?

Not free to change details, it will cost you £10. Camera's controlled by computers, automatic penalty if you dont pay by end of second day. (Goes up to £12 on second day). Operators never seem able to tell you if you have been in zone. But can tell you once a ticket has been issued.

I have to say my experience has always been favourable. On the odd occasion a driver has been unsure (how you can miss a big red and white "C" on the ground is beyond me, but that's another story) they've always been very polite and courteous AND able to answer yes or no.

Only last week got a Penalty Notice for a vehicle which we had paid for and got the email to prove it..

Vote UKIP

Garnham Courier Services said:

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I did a few deliveries around London a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't sure if I crossed into the charging zone or not. I phoned the payment line when I got home and asked if my van had gone into the charging zone. I was told there is no way of checking but would be best off to pay just in case. What a rip off. If they can tell when I have to pay, surely they can type my reg. number in and see if it appeared on their system?

Are you sure that you called the correct number and not just the first one that came up in a search engine?

There are many online companies out there that make their website appear like an official TFL Congestion Charge site, but what they do is take your details, charge you the congestion charge with a profit on top, then pay the charge on your behalf.

I only ask because if you had called the real congestion charge number then they can always tell you instantly whether you have ventured into the zone or not.

I always phone in to pay. Has anybody else noticed that recently the automatic answer machine ALWAYS tells you their average call waiting time is 4 minutes. Used to be you could expect them to answer quite quickly, but not now. I expect they have started to cut costs by employing even fewer overseas call centres to answer the phones and are more than willing to persuade you to pay online or at one of those kiosks in the service areas. GRRRR.

In case anybody doesn't know, the real CC London phone number is 020 7649 9122.

Best registering for Autopay. It takes the guesswork out if it and saves you money on phone bills. Also, they cant tell you if you've been in the zone cos the fines are sent out automatically by computer if you don't pay by the deadline.

+1 what RGM says, get autopay, it's cheaper than over the phone/web. However, I must wonder how it is possible to cross into the congestion zone without being aware, as they have big signs at all entrances plus road marking... ... Did you think you could ninja in and out unnoticed? With autopay you can do that as the emphasis is on them to bill you instead of on you to pay them.

But be aware even if you miss the cameras at the entrances they have many cameras inside of the congestion zone that will also log you...

fyi: if you start inside the congestion zone before 7am (07:00 and 18:00) but travel during the charging period you are still liable.

Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

Or do it on a motorcycle... Its free ;)

Van or bike its free for me hehe

MK BIKES said:

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Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

Or do it on a motorcycle... Its free ;)

Van or bike its free for me hehe

Even in a bus lane? LOL

(how you can miss a big red and white "C" on the ground is beyond me, Pretty easy when ya trying to negotiate all the traffic, read all the notice signs, and all the totty, look at sat/nav get distracted by texts and look for your address.

It's the biggest con going

PHAX said:

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(how you can miss a big red and white "C" on the ground is beyond me, Pretty easy when ya trying to negotiate all the traffic, read all the notice signs, and all the totty, look at sat/nav get distracted by texts and look for your address.

Totty at your age, you dirty old man.

Dennis said:

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MK BIKES said:

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Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

Or do it on a motorcycle... Its free ;)

Van or bike its free for me hehe

Even in a bus lane? LOL

Bike? Most of the time, van you just appeal against them

MK BIKES said:

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Dennis said:

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MK BIKES said:

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Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

Or do it on a motorcycle... Its free ;)

Van or bike its free for me hehe

Even in a bus lane? LOL

Bike? Most of the time, van you just appeal against them

Got done in a bus lane in camden, only went in for abot 20 metres cos traffic wasnt moving at traffic lights, tried appealing no chance the snotty Southern Tw*ts

AJM sameday Couriers said:

Got done in a bus lane in camden, only went in for abot 20 metres cos traffic wasnt moving at traffic lights, tried appealing no chance the snotty Southern Tw*ts

The bus lanes in Croydon are monitored 24/7, stray into them for even a couple of feet and they'll fine you

AJM sameday Couriers said:

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MK BIKES said:

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Dennis said:

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MK BIKES said:

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Gas Motorcycle Couriers said:

Or do it on a motorcycle... Its free ;)

Van or bike its free for me hehe

Even in a bus lane? LOL

Bike? Most of the time, van you just appeal against them

Got done in a bus lane in camden, only went in for abot 20 metres cos traffic wasnt moving at traffic lights, tried appealing no chance the snotty Southern Tw*ts

I got off on appeal stopping in a red route loading area outside the allowed loading, I told them the signs were confusing

The con ges zone postcodes has an extra letter after the first part of the code

I never knew that! That's got to be Tip of the Day.

I always check any london postcode at this site http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge

Its a nice tip about the extra letter after the 1st part of the postcode (such as EC2M 5PD or W1G0JD) but SE1 9RT is in the zone. Always best to check here if in doubt

The extra letter in the postcode was pre CC so cannot be replied upon.

tried appealing no chance the snotty Southern Tw*ts

Somebody's got a large chip regarding us Southerners. Presumably if they were Northern Tw*ts that would have been OK then?

PHAX said:

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(how you can miss a big red and white "C" on the ground is beyond me, Pretty easy when ya trying to negotiate all the traffic, read all the notice signs, and all the totty, look at sat/nav get distracted by texts and look for your address.

... So that little boy crossing the road... Not only Big red and White "C"s in the road...

I dont look for 'little boys' in London I leave that to deviants. Of course I see pedestrians but how many lay on the tarmac

PHAX said:

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I dont look for 'little boys' in London I leave that to deviants. Of course I see pedestrians but how many lay on the tarmac

...if you spent more time looking at the tarmac and less time looking at the totty you'd know!

I delivered back in the winter around 5pm, it was dark, raining, rush hour and the sat nav kept telling me lies. I noticed the cameras on a slip road to my left but didn't think they covered the road I was on, but not sure so paid up. I was fuming when they said they could not trace my reg. to see if I did cross into the zone, so I paid up just in case. I had factored in the charge to the job so I didn't lose out but it's the principal of paying when I might not have had to that annoys me.

I'm in and out of London all the time so makes sense to have it on autopay for me.. But even if you are only in the city a few times a year I still think autopay is a good option.. You know that you only have until the next day to pay before you become liable for £60 fine (or is it £80?).. And even if you pay the following day you have to pay an extra £2

Only thing to remember regarding autopay is to stop it when you sell your van

I don't know why this is a problem. How can anybody go into the CC zone and not know?

When I got my satnav, it warned me if my destination was inside and still does.

Before my satnav - and this also applies to the hard men who think paper maps are the only "proper" way to do the couriering business - I got myself a simple printout off the internet, showing the CC zone.

It's not rocket science.

Dennis said:

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I don't know why this is a problem. How can anybody go into the CC zone and not know?

When I got my satnav, it warned me if my destination was inside and still does.

Some how ever still warn you when you enter the west flank CC zone which has since been abolished

..if you spent more time looking at the tarmac and less time looking at the totty you'd know! Is it a male thing that just the word 'totty' was picked up on.

Autopay is the way forward or if in doubt just ring up to pay it anyway to be on safe side(better than a £65 fine landing on your doormat) LCC cannot tell you if you have been in the zone or not. All our vans are registered on the autopay system so no need to worry about it and on the plus side its cheaper than paying it over the phone or internet

And if you cant see the bloody big white C in the middle of the road then you shouldnt be driving anyway!

Bennetts Distribution said:

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And if you cant see the bloody big white C in the middle of the road then you shouldnt be driving anyway!

Have you no vans you could be washing?

Too busy gary

Bennetts Distribution said:

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Too busy gary

Ok

We never pay until the driver enters the zone,

If there was a cancellation or a breakdown on the way you would lose your payment.

AJM sameday Couriers said:

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Bennetts Distribution said:

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Too busy gary

Ok

Is that an offer gary. Mine could do with a wash after you've lee's vans first of course lol

MK BIKES said:

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Dennis said:

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I don't know why this is a problem. How can anybody go into the CC zone and not know?

When I got my satnav, it warned me if my destination was inside and still does.

Some how ever still warn you when you enter the west flank CC zone which has since been abolished

TomTom's maps have had the reduced zone correct almost since the time it went back to original. Maybe people should update their satnavs? And if anybody's interested, the latest TomTom maps were released today, maps version 930.