T4 - London LEZ £100 per day!

I’ve got a 1.9 Turbo Diesel T4 Transporter campervan, SWB.

Can anyone tell me which line in the weights section in my handbook relates to my van? I’m assuming it’s the section titled ‘Kombi’ for Transporters, 2920 wheelbase for standard wheelbase vans and the ‘50 and 62 kW’ column? (2575kg Permissable GVW, 1580kg Unladen weight, 995kg payload.)

I’m asking because I have something I really need your ideas on ( you might want to make a cup of tea and find a comfy seat before you read any further) – Anyone else out there living in London and pondering the future effects of the Low Emission Zone on the enjoyment of their camper?

From October 2010, as things stand at the moment, it will cost me £100 per day to drive my van in London. I’m trying to get it re-registered as exempt from the charge but I'm having some trouble.

Problem is, Transport for London look at the age, engine size and Gross Vehicle Weight. Motorhomes/campervans under 2.5 tonnes GVW are exempt and this is what I am trying to contest. TFL are looking at what the van was originally designed for (as a commercial goods carrying van) and they have my Gross Vehicle Weight recorded as 2575 Kg (through the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders I think) so 75 kg over their relevant weight. I’m trying to argue that the van has been converted to a campervan, is registered as such with the DVLA and is not now capable of, or intended for, holding a tonne of goods in the back.

I have no weights on the vans ID plate.

DVLA has no weights registered for my van as they only do so above 3 tonnes I believe.

My old MOT certificates have N/A in the ‘If it is a goods vehicle, state the maximum design gross weight’ section.

VW tell me they don’t keep records prior to 1997 – my van is a 1996.

So I’m going round in circles trying to get a new campervan weight registered with the DVLA so TFL will accept it. TFL will not accept me going to a VOSA weigh station and giving them an unladen weight.

Anyone got any ideas as to how I can either convince TFL that a campervan surely shouldn’t be recorded as having a commercial goods van’s GVW, or how to get an amended weight registered that is below 2.5 tonnes?

TFL have asked for a photo of the vans ID plate and the relevant pages from the handbook and I know they are just going to say – that’s 75 Kg over, £100 please.

Please tell me I’m missing something obvious?

There will be other options, such as a new engine, but…

And no, "move out of London ya fool!" is not the sort of advice I can do anything with, but would be a fair comment.

If anyone’s interested/worried, check it out: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/default.aspx