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UK AIRPORTS: London Airports: London Heathrow Airport – 0870 000 0123 London Gatwick Airport – 0870 000 2468 London Stansted Airport – 0870 000 0303 London Luton Airport – 01582 405100 London City Airport – 020 7646 0088 Scotland Airports: Aberdeen Airport – 0870 040 0006 Edinburgh Airport – 0870 040 0007 Glasgow Airport – 0870 040 0008 Channel Islands Airports: Alderney Airport Guernsey Airport – 01481 237 766 Jersey Airport - 01534 446 000 Midlands Airports: Birmingham Airport – 0870 7335511 Coventry Airport – 024 7630 8600 East Midlands Airport – 0871 919 900 Norwich Airport – 01603 411923 Southern England Airport: Southampton Airport – 0870 040 0009 Wales Airports: Cardiff Airport Swansea Airport - 01792 204063 North of England Airports: Blackpool – 0871 855 6868 Durham Tees Valley Airport - 08712 242 426 Humberside Airport - 01652 688456 Isle of Man Airport - 01624 821 600 Leeds Bradford Airport - 0113 250 9696 Liverpool John Lennon Airport – 0871 710 700 Manchester Airport – 0161 489 3000 Newcastle Airport – 0871 822 1121 Sheffield City Airport – 0114 201 1998 AIRPORT TRAINS: Gatwick Express Telesales: 0845 850 1530 Heathrow Express Customer Services: 0845 600 15 Stansted Express Customer Services: 0845 600 7245 Luton Airport Trains First Capital Connect operates a fast, frequent service direct between central London and Luton Airport Parkway train station. Trains depart from St Pancras International. Driving & Transport In The UKFirstly, please note that we drive on the left hand side of the road in the UK! Secondly, Car Insurance is mandatory in the UK and this must be at least third party insurance (please see our Motor Insurance page for advice on this topic and how best to obtain your insurance). It is useful to keep a copy of your insurance certificate in your car just in case of an accident. Thirdly, your vehicle must also have an annual MOT and you must pay Car Tax (car tax is paid in six or twelve month periods). You can pay for your car tax either online or in person at a local Post Office branch, and you will need the following: your vehicle registration certificate with your current address; a MOT test certificate, Goods Vehicle or Passenger Service Vehicle (PSV) test, if applicable, and the money to pay for your car tax. Importing Cars for Expatriates on Short-Term AssignmentsIf you are here on a short-term (up to six month) assignment you can bring your car with you on a temporary visit to the UK, but your car must be taxed and registered in your home country. If you are from a non-EU country then you can bring your car VAT and duty free, provided that you adhere to the following conditions: you can only drive the car for private use, you can not lend it to anyone or sell it within the UK, and you will export it within six months. As soon as you become a UK resident, it is time to register and properly tax your vehicle in the UK. Importing Cars for Expatriates on Long-Term Assignments or Moving to the UK permanentlyIf you are on a long-term assignment (those on a twelve month or longer assignment will be deemed a UK resident), or you have moved here permanently, you will need to register the vehicle with the British Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You will have to fulfil the requirements of a regular vehicle registration. Moreover, you need to go through some extra steps and include additional documents in your application to have any imported car approved first before being able to register it in the UK with the DVLA. Expatriates who are in the UK for longer than twelve months and are considered a UK resident, may import used cars for your personal use without having to pay any import duties or VAT, provided the following conditions apply: • VAT has already been paid in another EU country • The car has been in use for over half a year • It has over 6,000 km on its odometer. You may also bring your car from a non-EU country duty- and tax-free when moving to the UK. Again, you have to have already owned the vehicle for at least six full months. In any case, you always have to inform HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for any long-term import of a vehicle. While not mandatory, it is recommended to fill out a customs relief form (C110) to avoid potential problems in case of police stops and vehicle checks later on. Registering your Car in the UKFirstly, you need the proper documentation to show that your car complies with British safety and environmental regulations. For cars registered in the EU, you have to get a European Certificate of Conformity (CoC), which includes a European type approval, from the manufacturer. In case the car is a left-hand drive, you also need to get a Certificate of Mutual Recognition. If your car does not fulfil British requirements, such as lights made for left-hand driving, you can have the necessary alterations made. You will in fact need proof from your garage for the mutual recognition application. In case your vehicle was not registered in the EU, then you need to get an Individual Approval Certificate (IAC). This process will involve an official inspection. If your car passes all these technical requirements, you can finally register it with the DVLA. For this purpose, you should have the following documents at hand, in addition to those needed for a regular vehicle registration: • Proof of type or individual approval with all related documents • All your registration papers from abroad • A document stating the date when the vehicle was purchased (e.g. an invoice from your car dealership) • A HMRC form, proving that you paid VAT and/or customs duty (if required) • A completed form V267, if the vehicle is new. You will be asked to provide the original documents instead of photocopies. Once you have completed the registration process and been sent your registration certificate (V5C), sometimes also referred to as your vehicle log book, you can take it, your valid driver's license, and your passport to an official supplier of British number plates and get a set of UK number plates for your car. Buying, Leasing, and Renting a Car in the UK
Last but not least, renting or leasing a car is a good alternative if you live in a major town where parking may be an issue and you only need a car occasionally rather than on a daily basis. In fact, you can save a lot of money this way. Internet search engines such as Car Rentals UK or What Car? compare offers for car rentals or leases from various agencies all over the UK. Car sharing services such as DriveNow or Zipcar are also gaining in popularity in bigger cities, particularly London. The following websites may be able to help you and answer any questions you may have: Last, but not least, please drive safely and adhere to the speed limits on the roads. DVLA Telephone: 0300 790 6801 Email: drivers.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk Website: www.dvla.gov.uk www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/index.htm Crown Copyright © Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Swansea SA6 7JL; April 2008 EUROSTAR TRAINS Telesales : 08705 186 186 Direct service from London and Ashford (Kent) to Paris, Brussels, Lille, Disneyland Resort and Avigon. Check the website for further details as well as information on connecting services to other international train stations. NATIONAL RAIL For general rail enquiries and timetable/fare information call 08457 48 49 50 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk TRANSPORT FOR LONDON TRAVEL IN LONDONTRANSPORT FOR LONDON (TFL) Customer Services call 0343 222 1234 THE LONDON UNDERGROUND (THE TUBE)The London Underground, or ‘the Tube' as it is universally known to Londoners, is normally the quickest and easiest way of getting around London with 275 stations conveniently dotted across the city (63 in central London ). Most people in London use the Tube.' London is served by 12 Tube lines. Underground trains on all lines run every few minutes between 5.30 until 00:30 Monday to Saturday, and between 7.30-23.30 on Sundays. For more definite times for each tube line, visit: www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/travelinfo/firstandlast You can get a map for the entire Underground system free of charge from all train station ticket offices. Smoking is not allowed on the Underground, neither on trains or stations themselves. Smoking is also not allowed on buses. Trains and platforms are described as Eastbound, Westbound, Northbound or Southbound depending on the direction of the line. The front of the train, and the platform indicator, will show the ultimate destination of the train – usually, but not always, the last station on the line. If the station you are travelling to is not on the same line as the one where you start your journey, you need to change trains at any stations where two lines meet. For some journeys you may need to change lines twice. Each line has its own unique colour, so you can easily follow them on maps and signs throughout the system. The one-day travelcard offers a cheap and easy way of getting about London and can be used after 9.30am on Monday to Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays on the Tube, suburban trains, the DLR and buses, including night buses. Oyster cards, on the other hand, are more cost-effective for those who travel regularly. Visit: www.oystercard.com for further details on how to use the card and fares. Oyster cards are the same size as credit cards but contain an aerial and a small, powerful microchip that holds memory. Oyster card readers have been fitted to all Tube gates and bus drivers' ticket machines. Call 0343 222 2424 for information on Tube works. OYSTER CARDSOyster is London's travel smartcard. You can put your Travelcard or Bus Pass season ticket on it, add travel value (cash) to pay as you go or have a combination of both. Oyster cards are also reusable. This means that when your ticket expires you can buy another on the same Oyster card, and when your travel value (cash) runs out, you can just top it up. Oyster cards with Travelcards are valid on Tube, DLR, tram and National Rail services within your chosen zones and across the entire London Bus Network. Oyster cards with Bus Passes are valid across the entire London bus network and on trams. You can also use Oyster to pay as you go on the Tube, bus, DLR, tram, and some National Rail services. Visit www.oystercard.com LONDON BUSESLondon Buses manages bus services in London. It plans routes, specifies service levels and monitors service quality. It is also responsible for bus stations and stops and other support services. The bus services are operated by private operators, which work under contract to London Buses. Children aged 14 or 15 years need an ‘11-15' or Child photocard, or 14/15 Citizencard. Child fares are also available to ‘New Deal' photocard holders. Please visit www.tfl.gov.uk/buses for fares and information DOCKLANDS LIGHT RAILWAYPlease phone the Docklands Travel Hotline on 020 7918 4000 or customer services on 020 7363 9700. Website: www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr LONDON COACHESThe main coach station in London is based at Victoria. For further details contact Tel: 020 7730 3466 CONGESTION CHARGEPay the Congestion Charge or a Congestion Charge penalty, register for Auto Pay or a discount, ask about your account or make a general enquiry. Phone: 0343 222 2222 (08:00-22:00 Monday to Friday or 09:00-15:00 Saturday) International: +44 (0)343 222 2222 Congestion Charging, PO Box 4782, Worthing BN11 9PS LONDON OVERGROUNDPhone: 0343 222 1234 * (09:00-17:00 Monday to Friday) Email: overgroundinfo@tfl.gov.uk Freepost RSTY-TJRK-JRUG, London Overground Customer Services Team, 125 Finchley Road, London NW3 6HY RIVER SERVICESPhone: 0343 222 1234* Email: river@tfl.gov.uk * TFL Call Charges Images: DepositPhotos |
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