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The London low emission zone (LEZ) is a charging scheme that aims to reduce the pollution emissions of diesel-fuelled commercial vehicles in London. Vehicles whose emissions exceed pre-determined levels are charged to enter Greater London. Operation of the low emission zone started operating on 4 February 2008 followed by a phased introduction of an stricter emission standard up to 2012. The scheme is administered by Transport for London (TfL) for the Greater London Authority.
The scheme applies to diesel engine vehicles over 1.205 tonnes, which must be registered with TfL. The scheme does not affect cars or motorcycles. Owners of vehicles that do not meet these requirements must pay a fee of up to £200 with failure to pay resulting in a fine. A limited range of vehicles are exempted or able to obtain a discount from the charge. Payment of the LEZ charge is in addition to any congestion charge required.
Like the congestion charge, the zone is monitored using Automatic Number Plate Reading Cameras to record number plates. Vehicles entering or moving within the zone are checked against the records of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to enable TfL to pursue vehicles that have not paid. (Full article...)
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Selected biography
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George Shillibeer (11 August 1797–21 August 1866) was an English coachbuilder and operator of the first omnibus service in London from 1829.
Shillibeer was born in St Marylebone, London, the son of Abraham and Elizabeth Shillibeer. Christened in St Marys Church, St Marylebone on 22 October 1797, Shillibeer worked for the coach company Hatchetts in Long Acre, the coach-building district of the capital. In the 1820s he was offered work in Paris, France where he was commissioned to build some unusually large horse-drawn coaches of "novel design". The aim was to design a coach capable of transporting a whole group of people, perhaps two dozen, at a time.
Shillibeer's design worked, and was very stable. It was introduced into the streets of Paris in 1827 and Shillibeer concluded that operating similar vehicles in London, but for the fare-paying public with multiple stops, would be a paying enterprise, so he returned to his native city. His first London "Omnibus" began service on 4 July 1829 on a route between Paddington (The Yorkshire Stingo) and "Bank" (Bank of England) via the "New Road" (now Marylebone Rd), Somers Town and City Rd. Four services were provided in each direction daily. (Full article...)
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Did you know...
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- ...that the "Mind the gap" announcement is played when trains stop at stations with curved platforms to warn passengers of gaps between the platform edge and the doors?
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Image 1Sailing ships at West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs in 1810. The docks opened in 1802 and closed in 1980 and have since been redeveloped as the Canary Wharf development.
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Image 3Central London Railway poster, published in 1905.
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Image 4Ruislip Lido Railway's 12-inch (300 mm) gauge locomotive "Mad Bess" hauling a passenger train.
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Image 5Vauxhall Bridge across the River Thames opened in 1906 and features sculptures by F. W. Pomeroy.
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Image 6TX4 London Taxi at Heathrow Airport.
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Image 7The original Hampton Court Bridge in 1753, the first of four on the site.
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Image 9"Boris Bikes" from the Santander Cycles hire scheme waiting for use at a docking station in Victoria.
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Image 11The newly constructed junction of the Westway ( A40) and the West Cross Route ( A3220) at White City, circa 1970. Continuation of the West Cross Route northwards under the roundabout was cancelled leaving two short unused stubs for the slip roads that would have been provided for traffic joining or leaving the northern section.
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Image 12Albert Bridge, opened in 1873, crosses the River Thames between Chelsea and Battersea.
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Image 18A tram of the London United Tramways at Boston Road, Hanwell, circa 1910.
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Image 19London Underground Battery-electric locomotive L16 designed to operate over tracks where the traction current is turned off for maintenance work.
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Image 20London General Omnibus Company B-type bus B340 built in 1911 by AEC. One of a number of London buses purchased by the British military during World War I, this vehicle was operated on the Western Front.
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Image 21London Underground A60 Stock (left) and 1938 Stock (right) trains showing the difference in the sizes of the two types of rolling stock operated on the system. A60 stock trains operated on the surface and sub-surface sections of the Metropolitan line from 1961 to 2012 and 1938 Stock operated on various deep level tube lines from 1938 to 1988.
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Image 22Early style tube roundel in mosaic at Maida Vale Underground station.
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Image 23Qantas Boeing 747-400 about to land at Heathrow Airport, seen beyond the roofs of Myrtle Avenue, Hounslow.
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Image 24The western departures concourse of King's Cross railway station.
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Image 25The Circle routes of Victorian London, comprising the Inner Circle, Middle Circle, Outer Circle and Super Outer Circle.
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Image 2755 Broadway, headquarters of the UERL and its successors, is a Grade I listed building in Westminster designed by Charles Holden.
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Image 28Southern approach to the Rotherhithe Tunnel that runs under the River Thames in east London between Rotherhithe and Limehouse.
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Image 29Clapham Common Underground station north and south-bound platforms on the Northern line.
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Image 30Original stations on the Metropolitan Railway from The Illustrated London News, 27 December 1862.
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Image 31Archer statue by Eric Aumonier at East Finchley Underground station.
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Image 32Tram 2548 calls at Arena tram stop. This is one of the trams on the Tramlink network centred on Croydon in south London.
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Image 33Rail, road and river traffic, seen from the London Eye.
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Image 34The multi-level junction between the M23 and M25 motorways near Merstham in Surrey. The M23 passes over the M25 with bridges carrying interchange slip roads for the two motorways in between.
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Image 37Escalators at Westminster Underground station descend between beams and columns of the station box to reach the deep-level Jubilee line platforms.
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Image 38Hornsey Lane Bridge, Archway, more commonly known as "Suicide Bridge".
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Image 39Arguably the best-preserved disused station building in London, this is the former Alexandra Palace station on the GNR Highgate branch (closed in 1954). It is now in use as a community centre (CUFOS).
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Image 40Helicopter landing at London Heliport, a jetty constructed in the River Thames in Battersea.
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Image 41Planes waiting at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 4.
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Image 42View of Old London Bridge, circa 1632 by Claude de Jongh.
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Image 43The south façade of King's Cross railway station London terminus of the East Coast Main Line.
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Image 44The New Routemaster built by Wrightbus has three entrances, two staircases and is designed to be reminiscent of the Routemaster.
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Image 45Woolwich Ferry boats "John Burns" and "James Newman" on the River Thames, 2012.
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Image 47Day (left) and Night (right) sculptures by Sir Jacob Epstein on the London Underground's headquarters at 55 Broadway.
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Image 48Hammersmith Bridge, opened in 1887, crosses the River Thames in west London.
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Image 49Preserved AEC Routemaster coaches in London Transport Green Line livery.
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