uk.people.disability

Serena Blanchflower wrote:
> * (not quite so) Fat Sam wrote, On 04/03/2008 12:25:
>> SuperDaz wrote:
>>> "(not quite so) Fat Sam" wrote
>>> in message news:fqj7ku$db$1@...
>>>> John Nice wrote:
>>>>> "(not quite so) Fat Sam" wrote
>>>>> in message news:fqhreb$l3h$1@...
>>>>>> Alan wrote:
>>>>>>> "(not quite so) Fat Sam"
>>>>>>> wrote in message news:fqhq0t$fv7$1@...
>>>>>>>> Okay, We're going to London for a day out on Wednesday. See the
>>>>>>>> sights, that sort of thing.
>>>>>>>> I always prefer to plan ahead, so prior knowledge of parking
>>>>>>>> would be usefull.
>>>>>>>> Can anyone suggest good places to park around the Tower Bridge
>>>>>>>> area and around the London Eye area?
>>>>>>>> Preferably places that are either free or affordable for blue
>>>>>>>> badge holders?
>>>>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> read your blue badge handbook, you cannot use your blue badge in
>>>>>>> some parts of london, you must have a london one, you may be
>>>>>>> able to find out where on line
>>>>>> Oh bugger. I didn't realise that.
>>>>>> I don't even know where the blue badge handbook is. I wonder if
>>>>>> the info is available online. I'm off to do a google.
>>>>>>
>>>>> I'm fairly sure you'll find that the London not-blue badges are
>>>>> only required north of the River, so if you're coming from the
>>>>> south and stay south you'll be OK.
>>>> Hmmm, we'll be coming in from the north, and a lot of the places
>>>> we're interested in are to the north. Having said that, I have
>>>> healthy legs and my wife has her wheels, so parking to the south
>>>> and trundling over the bridges souldn't be a problem.
>>>> This is handy advice...Thanks.
>>>>
>>>>> Don't forget the Congestion Charge, either.
>>>>> You can register for exemption of the CC but it's a slightly
>>>>> lengthy process.
>>>> Yeah, I checked that last night, and was disappointed to learn I'd
>>>> left it too late.
>>>> You have to fill in a form and send it off, then wait for a letter
>>>> of exemption to come back from the London Transport guys.
>>>> Looks like I'll be shelling out £8 tomorrow morning.
>>>>
>>> If you dont pay road tax..ie. your car is a motorbility one then you
>>> dont pay the CC...ya dont have to do anything
>>
>> That's not what TFL's website says here.
>> /roadusers/congestioncharging/
>>
>>
>
> It is, in the small print, if you read page 7 of the Blue Badge
> leaflet linked from that page (or at
> ),
> where it says:
>
> Vehicle exemption
> Certain categories of vehicles, including disabled passenger
> carrying vehicles and vehicles used by disabled persons that are
> exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax), are automatically
> exempt from Congestion Charging and do not need to be registered
> with TfL. This automatic exemption only applies when the Driver
> and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has confirmed to you that
> they have recorded the vehicle as being exempt from road tax.
>
>
> If you haven't already found details of which areas of London accept
> the Blue Badge, there's some useful stuff at
> ,
> or , if the longer version has split. You
> should also be able to get information on places where you *can* use
> your badge from the map at .

This is all great news.
You all prompted me to ring up TFL. They asked for my reg number and
instantly informed me that I'm automatically exempt from the CC, and need
take no action.
Thanks for the pointers guys. If you hadn't told me, I would have gone and
paid the £8 and been none the wiser.