Bongo Fury

Well, it's been 3 weeks since my letter to TfL and I haven't received a response. So I am looking at putting Plan B in to operation.

Plan B is a number of documents that you will be able to download from the members area of the website that will prove your vehicle is not liable for the charge. However, in order for me to put Plan B in to operation, I need a copy of a Japanese de-registsration document. A photocopy or a scan will be sufficient. Anyone out there got one?

I'v got my deregistration document and in English as well. Any use Ian? Its a V6 not a diesel though, depends what is needed off it.

If it is any good which adress do I send it to.

Hi Mary. Yes, that's what I need. Doesn't matter if it's petrol or diesel. Can you send a copy to Ian Maynard, Bongo Fury, Unit 10, Aizlewood Rd, Sheffield S8 0YX. Ta.

Ian wrote:Well, it's been 3 weeks since my letter to TfL and I haven't received a response. So I am looking at putting Plan B in to operation.

Plan B is a number of documents that you will be able to download from the members area of the website that will prove your vehicle is not liable for the charge. However, in order for me to put Plan B in to operation, I need a copy of a Japanese de-registsration document. A photocopy or a scan will be sufficient. Anyone out there got one?

Ian, when I contacted Transport for London it took about 6 weeks to get the reply I wanted, see http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =1&t=50572 so don't give up hope just yet.

John

If they are taking 6 weeks to respond, and the new rules come in early January......that's why we need a Plan B

Good luck to Ian with this campaign.....but the DVLA being who they are I'm not holding my breath too hard! I have a vested interest in the changes in Jan 2012 and how they effect me: my 1999 Bongo camper is also my 'everyday transport', I live in High Wycombe and visit my parents' graves in Northolt roughly once a month, travelling along the M40/A40.....so this takes me across the London LEZ bounday at Uxbridge! In 7 years of ownership I have had no issues at all with MOT, ennissions, Road Tax or insurance......but now 'they' are proposing to hit me for £100 per visit these trips will not be by Bongo!!!!!!!!!! By the bye: originally I'm from ther East End of London... lived in Northolt and Hillingdon for over 30 years.....and never once considered it them to be 'London'...until, the 'Snivel Serpants' said so! Ho, hum!

I Own a 1996 Mazda bongo fully converted and live in the London Area i encountered the problem with the vehicle being non compliant with the Emissions Zone some 6 months ago ! I rang TFL and put my case forward that the vehicle was under the 2.5 ton therefore should not be classed in the same category as larger Motor homes ! I got nowhere with TFL whos attitude was very Much Like the Computer says NO and get a emission conversion done to sort it costing about £2000 !

It was now time to try and prove to them that the vehicle was under the 2.5 ton gross vehicle weight which was easer said than done ! The vehicle Vin plates state no weight, on the log book there was no recoreded Weight and it is classed as a Motor caravan (Obviously where TFL got there limited information from)

I didn't get much further with DVLA because it is an Import they have very limited info on the vehicle before it arrived in the uk ! The nearest official way bridge was miles away, there would have been a fee there + probably a fee to change Log book + more weeks of going back and forth. So i decided not to go down this route i did however find a relatively painless solution ! please read on below.

I contacted Mazda head office Uk tel no: 0845 6013147 Mazda Uk cant tell you much about the spec of a bongo but Japan can ! i was put in touch with there Homologation manager in the uk (The man that deals with Japan) a Mr Dean Armitage he contacted Mazda Motor Corporation of Hiroshima Japan and for an admin fee of £25 provided me with an official Mazda Letter head stating that the vehicle was indeed Manufactured by the Mazda Motor corp and the gross vehicle weight is officially 2280kg ! I presented this official documentation to transport for London they accepted it no qualms and changed there database ! My Bongo is now official not subject to LEZ after 2012 ! The battle was one !

My proof from Mazda states my vehicle Vin number on it and is only useful to me ! But If there are a number of Bongo owners in a similar situation it may well be worth getting together and contacting Mazda Uk as above and getting the official documentation for the Mazda Bongo across the board ! This can then be used to make TFL update their database for all and allow DVLA to update their records ! Saving time, Money and hassle !

I hope this article may help others facing the same

Midas Man

I managed to get my Bongo listed as NOT SUBJECT TO LEZ I did not have to get any proof of weight, I filled in the registration form on the TFL website I then sent a letter and some photos showing the size of a bongo see my posting http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =1&t=50572

I think the problem is trying to deal with them on the phone, I called 4 times before I got someone who knew what to do, after that it was easy

midasman wrote:I contacted Mazda head office Uk tel no: 0845 6013147 Mazda Uk cant tell you much about the spec of a bongo but Japan can ! i was put in touch with there Homologation manager in the uk (The man that deals with Japan) a Mr Dean Armitage he contacted Mazda Motor Corporation of Hiroshima Japan and for an admin fee of £25 provided me with an official Mazda Letter head stating that the vehicle was indeed Manufactured by the Mazda Motor corp and the gross vehicle weight is officially 2280kg ! Midas Man

That's interesting! But I bet Mr Armitage won't like it if he has to supply hundreds of individual letters.....

Any chance of emailing (or posting) me a copy of his letter?

That's interesting! But I bet Mr Armitage won't like it if he has to supply hundreds of individual letters.....

Any chance of emailing (or posting) me a copy of his letter?[/quote]


Like i said it would worth trying to get a one for all official letter from Mazda to try and nip their confusion in the bud !

No problem scanning and emailing my copy, Ian to what email address ?

Midas Man

ian @ bongofury.co.uk (remove the gaps)

I have just got confirmation that my Bongo is not subject to the LEZ. This was after a letter saying it was, I went the same route as gasace. Filled out the registration form online, took picture of the VIN Plate (no weight), took three pictures of the Bongo, one with the number plate visible, copy of my registration document (no weight), emailed all off with covering email explaining the vehicle. After four weeks and one reminder to them I got a Registration Pack - then two weeks after that I got an email with a letter saying :-
Dear Mr xxxxxxx
Low Emission Zone (LEZ)
Thank you for your recent enquiry received n September 2011, about your
vehicle xnnnxxx.
We've completed reviewing the information we hold about the vehicle and
can confirm that the vehicles compliance status will be 'Not be Subject
to the LEZ'.
We'll be amending our database in the near future to reflect the correct
status.
If you have any questions regarding the LEZ Scheme you may find it
useful to visit our website, www.tfl.gov.uk/lezlondon. You may also
telephone our Contact Centre on 0845 607 0009, Textphone 0207 310 8999
(if you have impaired hearing) where a member of staff will be more than
happy to help.
Yours sincerely

It will be interesting to see how long it takes to update the database!

When I got my letter I went straight to the TFL website to check, the bongo came up as not subject to LEZ straight away. But it may start to take longer as we get closer to January and the number of appeals increase.

Also when I phoned I was told I had to print everything and send it by post, but it seems OK to email it as well. Goes to show that the call centre staff at TFL have no idea about the process at all.

Still no word from TfL. So I am putting Plan B in to operation, an information pack that you can download and send in. This should be ready by next weekend.

Got the letter from TFL saying that we'll be not subject to LEZ - phew! - we just did everything mentioned on here including a copy of Ian letter.
Not updated on the TFL site yet but soon soon - very relieved!