> I wonder if you're doing this on purpose, or if you are genuienly unaware of ULEZ compliance conditions?
I'm well aware; I picked the extreme condition (EV) to make my point, bit naughty, I'm sorry, but sure, a Euro 6 vehicle can still cost you £10k if you want something clean and that isn't going to immediately be a maintenance burden, heck, let's say £5k, £3k, £1k? The older/cheaper you're going, the more you're subjecting yourself to in maintenance costs, and higher road tax, so let's say they opt for something about to enter MOT-requirements, 3 years, by scrapping an existing junk-car, one which they only have because they can't afford a better one, we're easily talking thousands of pounds.
I assume these people aren't driving old, non-compliant cars because they can afford a better one and just choose not to.
> Well, you can't reverse decisions from the past - you can only improve on them.
Fair, I can't argue with that, but I hope you can see how that might be quite aggravating for someone who bought into it at that time, whose vehicle is now non-compliant because of its age, and perhaps can't afford to replace it.
> its impact on pollution within London is undeniable
I agree, for London, but ULEZ doesn't just affect London, it affects much of the area within the M25 now, much of which is poorly connected or subject to appalling rail operators, they're treated the same way as those living within central areas and there's nothing "equality" about that. I'm not sure if it was yourself or another commenter who mentioned NIMBYs, and I know a lot of the reasons parts particularly south of the river are poorly connected is due to NIMBYism, but this whole discussion is over not worrying about the feelings or well-being of minorities; if it was for the greater good, it should have just been done. Were people not forced out of there homes for HS2? Look where that got us.
> I wish every single city in the UK had a ULEZ zone.
I wish every city in the UK was as well connected as London, then it would be reasonable and fair to have a ULEZ in them.
> Their own numbers about increased cost of repairs doesn't line up with the increases in premiums across the board, it's all a scam
Hear hear.
> Fuel prices have been going down every year, even if the price of fuel has increased in absolute terms. Thank inflation for that one
Yes, alone the affects due to inflation are (perhaps) unavoidable, but it's another expense, and even if you _could_ afford an EV let's say instead, the prices to charge away from home (or if there's no possible way for you to charge at home), are ridiculous anyway. Let's also not forget greed and record profits.
Back to the original commenters point, and mine, to which you replied; this isn't about privilege at all, I'm privileged, I can afford to run a car or two, buy an EV etc, have a leisure vehicle, I (we?) are the ones _not_ negatively affected by any of this, it's easy for us to sit here and say, this is better for everyone, but in the ham-fisted way it has been handled, while billions in public funds have been wasted on the likes of HS2, while not delivering, and pocketed by the privileged, in times were we're talking about a "cost of living crisis" is not.
I think being _able_ to prioritise the environment, one's health, the greater good etc is itself a privilege, and being able to be ignorant of that is too (I'm not suggesting you are; just making a general comment).