Emissions-based parking permits

[billythefish]

Alas, the Toyota Prius has a relatively high Carbon Footprint, despite its alleged low emissions. There is a wealth of hi-tech lightweight materials, technology and batteries that take masses of energy to build, it is imported from Japan, has an expected life span of ten years max, and is a pig to dispose of when it's dead.

The vehicle with the lowest carbon footprint by far is the Land Rover Defender... built in Solihull largely by hand, most components are sourced from 150 mile radius, uses simple materials, 75% of all ever made (since 1948) are still running, easy to re-cycle when they do die as they're built of aluminium (and most components just get reused on other vehicles)... and its emissions are no-where near as bad as some may think anyway.

4x4 bias is just inverted snobbery.

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

[STANDS UP] "My name is Winot and I'm a Prius owner" [SITS DOWN IN SHAME].

No need to be ashamed, they are considerably better than most Jags/Beamers/Mercs or even Mondeos in terms of CO2. My point was they are no better than a lot of run of the mill Fiestas and Clios and the likes- and should be treated similarly tax wise (perhaps in the £115 band)

 

[citydreams]

4x4 bias is just inverted snobbery.

Agree with you about Land Rover's exemplary track record. But they're few and far between on the mean streets of London.

The vast majorty of 4x4 vehicles are high polluting, over sized and ostentatious.

 

[Gixxer1000]

The vehicle with the lowest carbon footprint by far is the Land Rover Defender... built in Solihull largely by hand, most components are sourced from 150 mile radius, uses simple materials, 75% of all ever made (since 1948) are still running, easy to re-cycle when they do die as they're built of aluminium (and most components just get reused on other vehicles)... and its emissions are no-where near as bad as some may think anyway.

4x4 bias is just inverted snobbery.

Interesting link here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7052340.stm

Could also say the same about longevity for the Range Rover, Merc G wagon, Nissan Patrol, Pathfinder, Landcruiser et al though.

If well maintained theres no reason why a car cant be used for 20+ years, unless of course its unnecessarily complicated, reliant on batteries with a finite life that is

The sensible solution is maintain your vehicle to get optimum economy,
ensure tyre pressures are correct and keep the car for as long as possible rather than change every year with the current fad.

Im amazed that there is no political will to research the practicalities of retrofit scrubbers.

 

[Ms T]

pleasing local voters- the CPZ east of Brixton Hill was voted for by residents, with those living closer to the tube/council offices showing greater enthusiasm;

I'm not so sure they'd have been so enthusiastic if they'd known that parking permits were going to double/triple in price.

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

I'm not so sure they'd have been so enthusiastic if they'd known that parking permits were going to double/triple in price.

I didn't think LAs were allowed to make a profit on parking permits......

 

[hendo]

Long term readers of this thread will recall I went to get my permit last week, but they couldn't print it because of 'the computer'.
They did take my money though, and promised to put it in the post.
No prizes for guessing that so far the disc hasn't turned up.
I rang them up today, to be told by Lambeth's call centre that the parking unit 'doesn't do phone contact' with the general public. It's 'only been open a couple of months'.
Of course there are phones, but the Lambeth's call centre won't put you through to them.
I asked to speak to a supervisor to complain and to do her credit she's chased it up. I've been promised a call back, but worryingly I was asked for a description of the worker who processed the application!
Lambeth, you couldn't make them up.
I'm going to go and wait another hour clutching the little paper ticket to get this disc.
It's like Soviet Russia, etc etc.

 

[pooka]

Well, I had my hour wait this afternoon at the super new service centre. That said, the person behind the desk was so pleasant, helpful and couteous - in marked contrast to the studied surliness of the old Parking Shop - that I left the place in reasonable humour instead of grinding my teeth as in previous years.

But what are those seats about? I guess the designers imagined folk parking their butts just fleetingly as they speed through their customer experience. But backless seating when waiting times are averaging an hour or more just produces a huddled mass of dejected slumpling figures...and are not at all comfortable.

As regards CO2 emmssion based permits - yes, it's a nonsense. Charging for CO2 should be on (1) fuel and (2) the congestion charge. But parking charging is a now a cash cow for councils, so that's the way it goes.