This letter came via the Model Rail editorial office (name and address supplied, but removed for this post).
'Our club was invited to attend the recent Erith Model Railway Exhibition in January. It was an excellent exhibition and we enjoyed ourselves displaying and operating our 00 layout.
However, on our return we received a warning letter from Transport For London informing us that the van we had used to transport the layout was no longer compliant with the Greater London Low Emission Zone (LEZ), and that next time it entered the LEZ we would have to pay £50 per day or face a £1000 fine. Converting the vehicle, a 10+ year old VW Transporter, could cost up to £1500, a price the owner is not prepared to pay for occasional London use.
The warning therefore to all attendees at London exhibitions is make sure your transport is LEZ compliant beforehand, or alternatively factor in the £50 per day in your expenses. If you have to cross London to get to the venue, stick to the M25.
To Greater London exhibition managers, please indicate whether or not your venue is inside the LEZ when you invite organisations to your show, and whether or not you regard the £50 per day as a legitimate expense.
This will not stop us attending a London show if asked, but we would have to hire a different vehicle, probably at greater cost.'
- To find out if the above could effect you, follow this link.