Clean air zone, Birmingham

[Morrison10]

I live north of Birmingham, but to get to see my hospital consultant etc, have to travel through, preferably city centre tunnels that lead me quickly on towards hospital. Since introduction of clean air zone, I now have to travel several more miles, often in heavy slow moving traffic, through mixture of residential and commercial streets, takes lot longer. Alternatively I can pay £8 each way. I have a diesel car, bought on government advice years ago, and also a Blue Badge. As I see it all thats the Clean Air Zone is doing is moving poorer air quality to suburbs, and discriminating against those who can’t afford to buy another car. Jean

[Hidden]

Your Blue Badge should excuse you from paying the charge. Check with the council.

[Morrison10 in reply to Hidden]

Yes thankswill check again, didn’t couple of years ago. Think that by causing people to drive several more miles than necessary, it’s contrary to “protecting climate” x

[Hidden in reply to Morrison10]

I agree totally. They are just jumping on a money making band wagon. I have to go to the QE quite often and approach from Warwick. I am not sure if this is going to affect me.

[helenlw7 in reply to Hidden]

I live in south Birmingham and am a QE patient. If you live in Warwick you shouldn’t need to go through Birmingham.

[Hidden in reply to helenlw7]

No I don't but not sure where this zone is. My car is exempt from the charge as it is a new petrol one. Thanks

[helenlw7 in reply to Hidden]

We're exempt too. The zone starts before the tunnels. I think it's the outer ring road. My satnav took me to pick my granddaughter up from her new house in North Birmingham avoiding the CAZ. It took me 2 hours to do the journey on very conjested roads full of other cars presumably avoiding the CAZ too! I won't fall for that one again!

[Hidden in reply to helenlw7]

Oh dear 😏

[Morrison10 in reply to Hidden]

Checked, blue badge holders not exempt. Birmingham Council have big debts, always making changes to city centre for many years, now demolishing post war buildings, underpasses, and overpasses etc for Commonwealth Games next year. Years ago built pond in Victoria Square with naked lady, know as flusie in jacuzzi, and long waterfall from it. Few years later that was leaking badly so turned into plant beds. My office overlooked it. Now see on TV that it’s all being refurbished and will be fountain again.

[Hidden in reply to Morrison10]

B......s!

[CDPO16]

A case of solving one problem while creating another it seems.

[vocalEK in reply to CDPO16]

I believe that is called the Law of Unintended Consequences.

[CDPO16 in reply to vocalEK]

That's one way of looking at it 🙄 🙂

[Lemon7]

I have family kn north of Birmingham. I was visiting in September. One was offered new job in city centre but after considering leaving car and using public transport with risk of covid, and costs of owning a car and paying for public transport too, couldn't afford daily charge to use car. In end they had to turn down job offer and go to new job on edge of city with a drop in salary. This daily charge will have a knock on effect in many ways.

[Jaybird19]

My Birmingham was demolished , lots of old beautiful buildings as well as the rubbish, and they had grandiose ideas of replacing lots of Victorian to build monstrosities as the Selfridges building in the old Bull Ring . I left in 60s and went back about 20 years ago to visit and found my lovely old central library gone and just a hole above a new motorway. Now its all going to be replaced again ? D oesnt do to go back . I lived in Great Barr and my cousin still lives near there so i get reports of the problems already caused by the forthcoming Games. Does my memory fail me but can you not use the ring road to get to QE and so avoid centre, or do you have to pay to use it ? I found it difficult to find where it goes now but we did have a ring road when I was there.

[Lemon7 in reply to Jaybird19]

When you go back you can't recognise so much of the city. Many, many years ago I attended Great Barr college for a while. Still love Birmingham but it's not anything like the nostalgia of my childhood.

[Morrison10 in reply to Jaybird19]

Yes I know and occasionally use part of the ring road. It’s seen major road works in places, demolishing old houses etc. It’s always busy, some stretches are dual carriageway, others rather narrow standard road. Only know stretch from gravelly Hill/erdington to Acocks Green. Sometimes used satnav, found myself in areas haven’t been for 50+ years, or down dead ends, but suppose I could try it next time go to QE!

[Morrison10 in reply to Jaybird19]

Sorry, think I sent my response to Lemon7

[Jaybird19 in reply to Morrison10]

No problem . Have you sorted it now..?Good luck if you try the ring road I wouldn't like to try it now ! It was bus no 10 I think when I used it , .from Six Ways

[Morrison10 in reply to Jaybird19]

As I’m now classed as extremely vulnerable because of PCD, have problems wearing mask due to broken nose during war, I hardly go anywhere, public transport would be much too risky! I was due to be set up at QE for iv antibiotics at home few weeks ago, my daughter was taking me to QE in case wasn’t fit to drive afterwards, but few days before her horse threw her off, has two fractures in leg and ankle, had operation, plate and pins, will be months before she can drive or walk unaided. She lives alone has friends helping her. I also live alone but all my friends are dead, or have moved abroad, so having to wait for iv. Have asked surgery if they can help, still waiting for reply. Last sputum sample had to wait over week for result, showed I have Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Philia. Have been on Septrin Forte for 2 weeks, hope cleared it. Have had six iv courses before, whilst husband alive, keep own antibiotics, and managed to get rid of pseudomonas infection by taking two simultaneously. Had been taking them before biking holiday in Scotland with friends, when one turned up at guest house with bad cough etc, continued them for the week, and together with clean Scottish air, infection gone!! Didn’t need any antibiotics for 10 months afterwards!

[Jaybird19 in reply to Morrison10]

Oh so good when you can get your lungs clear . If you had you r nose broken in the war then you must be a similiar age to me. But you were on cycling holiday so don't know !. The active life helps your breathing of course. Scotland is lovely I used to sail on the west coast there every holiday for years . Friends disappear when we get old don't they . The friend I used to go on holidays with caught covid and is now bedridden but won't talk to us . Has just retired into shell. I understand about transport too . Wasnt suggesting you use the bus ! I wont use the buses. The bus no 10 I referred to was sixtý years ago ! I went to hospital fri using hospital transport which I 'reckoned would be safer but they put me in scruffy t axi to return . So do not recommend hospital transport unless really essential. I have only been out for dentist and optician when I had to over the past 2 years. The surgery are overwhelmed here too and tell me to wait . So think about your hospital transport, . Talk to your hospital about transport and see what they say . Sorry to hear about your daughter,Take care

[Morrison10 in reply to Jaybird19]

Hi, thanks for reply. I’m 86, still trying to keep active. Holiday in Scotland was as pillion on late husbands motor bike. We used to be dingy sailors, and also sometimes with two friends on live aboard boats. Happy memories. If and when I go to hospital to be set up for iv antibiotics, have to be there by 9am, with someone who can look after me and drive home. Means leaving my home by 7, hospital transport don’t start that early. Good luck, best wishes

[Jaybird19 in reply to Morrison10]

I am 84 . I love the idea of biking 86 yr old . I had thought of bicycles not motorbikes ! What dinghy did you sail ? I had a gp14 and sailed on a puddle in leamington spa . A new club was formed there not long after I moved there from b'ham, I joined them and bought a boat with my savings. A wooden boat called Destiny and it was just that from then on . It was my life . Sailed on 70 ft ketch called Owl in the Hebrides every summer holiday . Beautiful boat . Met partner through sailing and we eventually ended up with Flying Fifteen for a few years then partner had heart problems and he couldn't cope with sailing this so sold it Highlight was sailing the Fifteen in "Bala Two of a Kind " where the wet suits froze overnight ,! . It was cold in mid March in Wales , but we did well and it was great sailing . Got carried away there . Sorry Don't know what to say about your iv set up . It seems too difficult . Could your daughter be able to be the person with you if you could get there by some means . ? Have you seen your message from bingo ?

A kind offer to help . Good luck

[Morrison10 in reply to Jaybird19]

Good morning, I was riding pillion until my husband died nearly 5 years ago, he was day older than me, so could never forget birthdays. He won a Gp 14, working at boat show, and we sailed at Chasewater. With another couple we also sailed in hired 40ft live aboard down Adriatic twice. Practicing, Our friend was wealthy, planning retirement in grand cayman, had boat built to his spec in Florida, we had two weeks testing it in Gulf, then when went to cayman visited twice until his wife died. His new wife has separated him from all friends, even his daughter doesn’t see him.My husband started biking whilst doing national service. Where he was he couldn’t get home, had saved money from earlier paper round, so used it to buy second bike, which was delivered off back of truck. Driver gave him key, said off you go. No instructions those days. Stopped motor biking when had children. As we approached age 60 one of his colleagues was selling bike, and we thought we would buy it as our birthday present! He practicing first, then I joined as pillion, and the years fell away! Yes considering iv. Need to speak to doctor and Qe first. Best wishes, Jean

[Gladwyn in reply to Morrison10]

Such an interesting post!!! Loved reading it and Jaybirds too. I’ve never sailed … well on the ferry to IOW . Lol

[CDPO16 in reply to Morrison10]

In spite of all your health problems you have lived a very interesting life. To practice sailing down the Adriatic is very adventurous. Like Gladwyn I enjoyed reading it too, thank you. Carole.

[Gladwyn in reply to Jaybird19]

Such an interesting post. 😂

[CDPO16 in reply to Morrison10]

What a dreadful accident your daughter has had. I hope that she makes a good, full recovery. I hope too that you get your hospital transport problems resolved.

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

I agree your blue badge should exempt you from the charge and aboutoving the bad air onto the suburbs. Have a lovely day and take care 😊 Bernadette and Jack 🐕 xxxxxx

[Alberta56]

That is thought provoking and sad. I now wonder how it will affect my old patch of North London. I went to uni at Birmingham in the early 60ies; they were constantly tearing down chunks of the centre then. Anyone remember the Big Top building? It obviously wasn't big enough, so it had to go. Agree it was sheer vandalism to tear down the Central Library.

[Jaybird19 in reply to Alberta56]

The big top site was built on a wartime bomb site . Used to have circus as there every year so b ecame known as big top . I have a PO savings book with Big Top P.O. entry in it . History lost . l loved that library could get all the info for essays and presentations there. And there was a building just across road belonging to the university where I used to go for evening classes .

[Alberta56 in reply to Jaybird19]

My first year at uni was at Ed Street (Edmund Street). The building was a bit decrepit- bomb damage had never been repaired. It was very convenient for the Ref Library. Oh nostalgia.

[Jaybird19 in reply to Alberta56]

Do you remember Rag Days.?. Did you have the parade of floats in your time there? I remember goind to join the crowds lining the streets and cheer them on collecting money for charities. Great fun all round

[Alberta56 in reply to Jaybird19]

Yes indeed. The first year I was there the English Department did a Save Stonehenge float, not having the skill the engineering departments put into their massive floats. I was too shy to dress up, but I walked alongside collecting money. And I took some photographs- I was a camera nut.

[Bingo88]

Good morning Morriston. I am from North Midlands in Staffordshire but have been a driver for many years and know Birmingham well. If you can go up the Birmingham New Road. Then onto Hagley Road and cut across from there to the Q E. Or if you are stuck I am now retired and still miss a drive. So I would gladly take you. It would be no trouble at all. I have a diesel car. But it has Adblue. Which is OK for driving around Birmingham. If needed let me know. Available any day. Brian

[Morrison10 in reply to Bingo88]

Good morning Brian, thanks so much for your help and kind offer. I have telephone consultation with GP or junior tomorrow to hear how they can help with iv, etc if anything. Then I will have to talk to QE about going back on i.v. waiting list. Will depend to some extent if next sputum sample tomorrow shows if got rid of nasty pseudomonas type infection. Don’t think Birmingham New Road will help, I’m at Streetly. Would normally go to Birmingham via Perry Barr, but underpass, flyover etc all demolished for Commonwealth Games next year. Might use M6 and Aston Expressway.

[Morrison10 in reply to Bingo88]

Hi Brian, coughing , pressed reply before I had wished you have good day, etc. Thanks again, Best wishes, Jean

[Bingo88 in reply to Morrison10]

Your welcome love. There are various ways from Streetly you could go to avoid the congestion charges. Cut across to West Bromwich and that way if you know it. Take care

[Cloudancer]

We have a similar issue and no longer go into Birmingham ....

[Bingo88 in reply to Cloudancer]

It really is annoying. They expect you to pay a years road tax and insurance and then spend more money using public transport and who wants to use public transport if it's tipping down with rain and you have shopping bags to carry

[Morrison10 in reply to Bingo88]

Haven’t used public transport since caught flu (despite having had flu jab), and pseudomonas infection on overcrowded bus or train 25 years. For those of us with bronchiectasis etc, it’s too much risk. That’s why I used my scooter or small motorbike to go to hospitals, quicker through traffic when wanted you there at 9am, and easier to park, was usually able to chain it to railings out of way!

14 years ago my mother was still alive, age 107, when took her out had to take wheelchair and Zimmer frame, needed enough room. Had old car, family concerned might let us down so looked for one to suit Mother who was only 4foot 5 inches tall, had problem getting into modern cars with wide sills. Took her round all dealers, and of course most expensive best, BMW. When she sat inside with the black upholstery etc, she said like morgue! So had beige leather, and she always liked sun roof, so had that too. Most expensive car I’d ever bought, said it was going to be last. And of course had diesel as recommended by government. Still have it, not getting much mileage, but paying full tax.

Have thought for long time that road tax should be much lower, and that tax on fuel should be increased to reflect the mileage driven.