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Driving a Van in London? Don’t Go Without Our Guide

Congestion Charge

The infamous Congestion Charge, introduced in 2003, means that van drivers currently have to shell out every day if you’re to drive through certain parts of London between 7:00am and 6:00pm, Monday to Friday.

You can pay in advance online or over the phone, with the cheapest tariff coming in at £10.50 per day. Paying a one-off charge in advance is £11.50, and if you delay payment until the next day, it’ll set you back £14.

Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), issued if you don’t pay the fee, will charge you £130 (or £65 if paid within 14 days); just make sure you know if you’ll be affected or not by checking this handy map tool!

London Lorry Control Scheme (LLCS)

While not as famous as the Congestion Charge, the LLCS affects a lot of businesses operating in London. If you’re driving a HGV through London, you may be restricted in your movement at night or over the weekend. The best way to learn how you’re affected is to check the London Lorry Route Approver website.

 

Low Emission Zone (LEZ)

The LEZ aims to encourage drivers to avoid using heavy diesel vehicles in London It covers most of Greater London and operates around the clock. You can immediately check here to see if you’re affected by the charge; chances are that it won’t affect your fleet, especially if it’s been renewed in the last few years (as most of the charges apply to vehicles registered as new before 2006 or 2002, depending on their class).

If you do need to pay, well, buckle up: the daily charge is between £100 and £200.

 

Parking

Well, this may be the trickiest issue of all, but it pays to know where you’re going specifically. That’s because Alexanders Group has put together this handy chart detailing parking costs per London borough, while services such as Parkopedia offer handy options to book a specific place to drop your van. Whatever you do, don’t simply turn up on the day with hope – it’s London, after all.

 

Traffic – and its hotspots

So long as there’s a London, there’ll always be London traffic. It’s hard to truly plan for it, too, but it’s important that you use technology to your advantage. The likes of Google Maps are fantastic at delivering real-time traffic updates (often adjusting routes to avoid it), but it’s also important to stay up to date with Transport for London’s Twitter feed and website, and – not forgetting the old favourite – traffic and travel updates from radio station LBC.  

 

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