The Motorcycle Action Group has announced a new offer benefitting motorcyclists who have to travel through the ULEZ in London.
The Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) in London is intended to reduce emissions, particularly nitrogen oxide (NOx), which is especially damaging to air quality.
The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has previously been able to prove to authorities in the English capital that pre-Euro3 (pre-2007) motorcycles are capable of being below the threshold (0.15g/km of NOx) for paying the ULEZ charge.
However, this is not something which is generalised, and instead owners of pre-2007 motorcycles must prove, on an individual basis, that their bike does not meet the criteria for paying the ULEZ fee.
The test needed to exempt an older motorcycle from the ULEZ charge was initially available at only one location, but now there are three. Each location charges the same fee: £175 for the first test, and £75 for each re-test. A first-time pass charge, then, equates to 14 days of ULEZ charges.
The test involves the bike under test being placed on a dyno, and run in different drive cycles - such as acceleration, deceleration, and idle - after which an average emissions figure is calculated and a simple ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ is awarded to the bike.
One location where the test can be completed is The Test Centre, near Greenwich in South London, and is run by Ian Wills. The Test Centre has announced that an offer of ‘no pass, no fee’ will be available exclusively to MAG members for the NOx test, meaning you will only be charged if your bike passes. There will also be no re-test additional fee for MAG members should their bike require some small work to get its average below the 0.15g/km threshold.
Ian Wills said: “Well-maintained, properly set-up and cared-for bikes stand a much better chance of meeting the standard and passing the test.
“If a bike passes the test, we upload the results straight to the TfL database and your bike is registered by TfL as exempt the next working day. We are finding most bikes are passing without any work.”
To book your bike’s emissions test at The Test Centre, visit their website. To find other locations where the test can be carried out, check the L-category page of the TfL website. To become a MAG member, or renew your membership, visit the MAG website.
