Photo: Piaggio
In case you didn't know already, UK's capital London is a very busy city, with mind-blowing traffic that needs to be regulated with rather drastic measures.
Driving and riding in some downtown areas come with a congestion tax. Certain small vehicles, such as scooters are exempted from this charge, but if you thought that all three-wheeled scooters would be exempted, you'll be disappointed to learn that the reality is different.
The congestion charge is a rather hefty £11.50 (€16 or $18, for the sake of comparison) a day, and if you opt for an automatic billing system, it can be reduced to £10 (€14 or $15.5). A camera network detects when a vehicle enters the taxable areas and issues an invoice for the bank account.
To be eligible for congestion tax exemption a vehicle's total length must not exceed 2 meters (6ft 6.7in). Tough luck for the majority of three- and four-wheeled scooters sold in London, as most of them are longer than two meters.
TfL made a concession only for Piaggio's MP3 Yourban, which is 2.04 meters long and only exceeds the limit by 4 centimeters (1.6"). According to visordown, the same organization did not approve congestion tax exemption for Peugeot Metropolis 400 (2,152mm or 84.7"), Piaggio MP3 500 (2,205mm or 86.8"), Gilera Fuoco 500 (2,210mm or 87"), Quadro 3 (2,270mm or 89.4"), or the Quadro4 which is 2,180mm (85.2") long.
Now, judging on why three-wheeled scooters are seen as a factor that favors traffic congestion is a matter of perspective. They are indeed wider than two-wheelers, but are almost as agile and come with a similar footprint.
The biggest question is whether TfL should update their rules or not. After all, there's no point in enforcing a drastic rule if you have an exception to it, is it?
The congestion charge is a rather hefty £11.50 (€16 or $18, for the sake of comparison) a day, and if you opt for an automatic billing system, it can be reduced to £10 (€14 or $15.5). A camera network detects when a vehicle enters the taxable areas and issues an invoice for the bank account.
The 2-meter rule makes a huge difference
Transport for London (TfL), the local organization that manages traffic in the British capital has a set of rules that dictate what vehicles can be exempted from the congestion charge. The total length of a vehicle is one of the rules that make a significant difference.To be eligible for congestion tax exemption a vehicle's total length must not exceed 2 meters (6ft 6.7in). Tough luck for the majority of three- and four-wheeled scooters sold in London, as most of them are longer than two meters.
TfL made a concession only for Piaggio's MP3 Yourban, which is 2.04 meters long and only exceeds the limit by 4 centimeters (1.6"). According to visordown, the same organization did not approve congestion tax exemption for Peugeot Metropolis 400 (2,152mm or 84.7"), Piaggio MP3 500 (2,205mm or 86.8"), Gilera Fuoco 500 (2,210mm or 87"), Quadro 3 (2,270mm or 89.4"), or the Quadro4 which is 2,180mm (85.2") long.
Now, judging on why three-wheeled scooters are seen as a factor that favors traffic congestion is a matter of perspective. They are indeed wider than two-wheelers, but are almost as agile and come with a similar footprint.
The biggest question is whether TfL should update their rules or not. After all, there's no point in enforcing a drastic rule if you have an exception to it, is it?
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