An interesting article. I feel I am lucky in that my car is compliant and I am also pretty far away from a CAZ. But I can really see how this would effect a unit nearby or within a CAZ.
I know from our point of view, we can’t claim any congestion charges or CAZ charges. I’d be intrigued to hear from anyone on here who is having to deal with this whilst doing their voluntary role?
Depending on how the judicial review goes this is going to cause real trouble for London based squadrons from the end of August when the ULEZ is expanded.
Hopefully a delay on possible plans for Cambridge congestion charge - whilst not as bad as an ULEZ, it would prevent staff / cadets arriving on time, & for weekday events in half term, it could be quite limiting.
We’re outside, but my OC’s shortest route goes straight through it, so he’s taking a longer route, and seeing if he can claim HTD for that route, Could he claim for the charge in any way if they decide to penalise him for trying to save money?
He should be able to claim for the longer route. Policy allows for you to apply to have your HTD distance increased to another route that isn’t the shortest if you have a decent reason why. Avoiding a CAZ/congestion charge should meet that!
Or wait, maybe ignore the above. Just looked up the policy and it’s only if the alternative route offers a “significant reduction in journey time”. No mention of anything else… ACP 300, IN312 if you’re interested. It does also state you can’t claim for congestion charges.
[quote=“JoeBloggs, post:5, topic:12535”] you can’t claim for congestion charges.
[/quote]
Clean air zones are not the same as congestion charges so it may be worth putting it in as a toll charge on the HTD form with a printout of the email receipt and seeing what happens 
Worse case you could put it through HMRC as an unpaid expense for tax relief as it’s their rules you should not be out of pocket to volunteer. Ok you would only get relief at your tax rate and not the full amount back but something is better than nothing
ULEZ will hammer a massive chunk of LASER with the scheduled enlargement. We’ve got rid of our SOV and so are many others. We’ve been specifically told you can’t claim for ULEZ charge so some volunteers have had to buy new cars. CivCom could maybe step in to help case by case I suppose
I’m just holding out hope that the High Court chins the whole thing off. Not against it in principle, but the implementation has made it impossible to budget for the replacement car we would need as we live in the expansion but both work in directions with rubbish public transport. Don’t really want to have to take out credit.
I can see volunteers in these areas across the country jacking it in if they are going to be expected to pay £12 or so each day they attend the squadron.
To buy cars?
Cough rugby club cough.
Whilst I don’t live there, I work in Birmingham and drive through their Clean Air Zone on a frequent basis. It costs me precisely nothing because my car meets the emissions standards.
Unless Bristol are talking about banning every internal combustion engine (which they’re not), I’m really not following what the problem is. My car is 10 years old, and most cars that age and younger will meet the standards for free transit through the different zones.
Sorry, but to me this sounds like a case of making mountains out of molehills.
I can confirm, both our household cars (both petrol, one 2012, the other 2021) are coming up as a “no charge” on the checker - https://vehiclecheck.drive-clean-air-zone.service.gov.uk/vehicle_checkers/enter_details
I have even checked the SOV and that is also “no charge” for:
Yeah, same here, doesn’t affect my cars at all.
Not that there’s any need to drive in to Bristol centre anymore. There’s nowhere to park!
Just checked my car. 12 year old Diesel Audi on £20 year road tax so very efficient £8 Birmingham and £9 Bristol.
Wife’s car, newer land rover Disco sport diesel, £150 a year road tax. Free in all areas.
Go figure.
Vehicle Excise Duty (there’s been no road tax since 1937) is calculated on carbon emissions. There’s also different rules in place depending on year of first registration, so newer diesel cars cost more anyhow.
Clean Air Zones are calculated on particulates emissions.
So your info suggests that your Audi emits less carbon, but a greater concentration of particulates than your wife’s Disco.
LASER / ULEZ expansion specific - There is a grace period for minibuses to 26 Oct 25, I am aware that a number of Sqns have successfully applied.
HQ had advised that redemption of the charge wasn’t possible publicly, but it is a growing issue that I believe some consideration was being given to.
ULEZ cost labour the win in Uxbridge yesterday. Wonder if the expansion will go ahead? I’ve written to my MP (in a personal capacity obviously) raising the impact on charities and youth groups
Even though the MP has basically no power/authority over the whole ULEZ thing anyway. Lies being used to gain a seat, once again…
Like the last local council elections. Loads of people standing saying they’re going to sort the roads out, even though it was district council elections who have no power over the roads…
You mean politicians lie‽ 
People don’t treat by-elections the same as a general election, sending a message to the Labour Party by voting Conservative.
In the same way that UKIP always did better for MEP’s than anything else.