17 February sees the introduction in London of congestion charging. Every car driver will be required to pay £5 per day to enter the specific zone in their car. The zone runs from Kensington in the south, to Hyde Park in the west, Tower Bridge in the east and as far as Kings Cross in the north.
For London commuters seeking to avoid this charge, Honda has some clever ideas. Here we present three ways to save money that will brighten up your life and help reduce the environmental burden on the planet.
1) Travelling By Car
Not all drivers have to pay the congestion charge. There are a range of exemptions and discounts available to certain categories of drivers and certain categories of vehicles and individuals. The list includes petrol / electric hybrids like the Honda Insight and Honda Civic IMA which qualify for a 100% discount on the congestion charge.
So, if you’re about to buy a new car, consider purchasing:
- Honda Insight: available since September 2000 and achieves the best fuel consumption and lowest CO2 emissions of any petrol car currently sold in the UK.
- Honda Civic IMA: on sale from May 2003, and employs similar technology as the Insight within a contemporary 4 door Civic saloon body style. It achieves 57 mpg with CO2 emissions of just 116 g/km.
2) Travelling By Motorcycle Or Scooter
Two wheeled vehicles are not only exempt from the congestion charge, but they also avoid the congestion. You can ride them anywhere in the zone at any time without paying the charge and you do not have to register for this exemption. It doesn't matter whether you are looking for a scooter, a superbike, a cruiser or a tourer – Honda has a bike for you. If you are new to two wheels, all Honda dealers will be experienced in guiding you through the equipment, licences and vehicles available. Remember, anyone who received their car driving licence before February 2001 can immediately ride a 50cc moped without any restrictions – just twist and go.
Right now Honda bike prices start from as low as £999 for the Honda Sky – an ideal machine for dashing through city traffic. The Sky's comfortable seat and wide floorboard provide ample leg room for all types of riders. For power, the air-cooled 2-stroke single cylinder is all you need for a fun and friendly ride that makes every trip a real pleasure. And, featuring a low-emission engine design with a built-in catalyser that reduces emissions to well below EURO-1 exhaust emission regulations, it is environmentally friendly too.
3) Travelling By Boat
Use the Thames! If you can find a berth (such as St Katherine's Dock in the City) then using the River Thames is a much more pleasant way to start your day before the office. With the world’s largest range of environmentally friendly 4-stroke outboards Honda has an engine to match almost every style of river craft. Honda’s 300 hp powerboat cruiser has taken the racing scene by storm with the biggest "one make" racing series in the UK. Equally at home as a 4-seat cruiser, the 4-stroke Honda 130 is ideal for a fast river commute or offshore racing at weekends.
Published 13 February 2003
