To Gambia by van and return by bike questions, ideas.
 

Early idea stage at the moment and based on if Tosspot Boris Johnson(mayor of Londonistan) carries out his proposed legislation on January 3rd 2012 of vans, including campers,pick-ups and 4x4's meeting a new anti polution standard, this is vehicles made before 2002. if you 'google' about it you can enter your registration number to see if your vehicle is compliant or not. If 'not' the choices you are given are; get fitted a Diesel particulates filter which could cost upto £2000 and with no guarantee that it will pass, scrap your vehicle, 0r pay £100 per day to drive in the Londonistan area(a greater area than the already congestion zone), if you fail to pay the £100 per day charge you will get a £500 fine reduced to £250 if paid within 14 days!.

Should this Barmy Boris idea go ahead then I have 2 options for my 1994 Transit that is far too good to scrap, either drive it straight through The mayor of Londonistans plush offices or take it to The Gambia to give away or sell, I really prefer the former option.

What I would like to know is would I need a carnet to get through that shite'ole known as Senegal? or Mauritania bearing in mind that I would like to carry a 2008 ybr 125 in the back of the van to ride back to the UK?

And before anyone feels smug that it being proposed in Londonistan, rest assured it will spread like a disease to other UK cities once we have the Boris virus inflicted upon us.

I couldn't believe that nice Mr Johnson would do something like that, but you're right, he has / will. I'd not heard of it before but, worried that my pre 2002 Land Rover would be banned, looked up the TFL site. It covers pre euro3 commercial vehicles, even if you're using them privately so it looks like, as you said, your Transit has had it even if my Landy hasn't. Boris seemed like such a sensible bloke when he was my local MP.

Can't really help you re carnet as my knowledge is well out of date but I'm sure someone else with current info will be along in a minute.

To Gambia------
 

Hi Palace15
I´ve just returned from Gambia, driven a 25 year old Toyota to Gambia throug Senegal. Having "The laisiere De Passage" is just a quistion of money!!!! At the border the customs will tell you ´bout the problem of bringing a car older then 25 years throug Senegal "but they can help you"! They offer you to pay around 250 Euro´s, and then you must hackle it down ( I ended up paying 150), it´s a little difficult to argue because they tell you ´bout the 2 alternatives: escorting you to the border, costs 380 Euro! or leave the car among the bunch of all the other old cars standing left.
But I don´t know if it´s a problem it´s having the steering wheel in the "wrong" side, check it! If it´s not a problem, they will love the car in Gambia.
Jacob:clap:

We did the trip to Banjul in January -- have a look at http://www.bruton.fr/banjul/banjul-blog-2011.pdf for "tips".

Couple of points -- we paid 50 euros per vehicle to get into Senegal this time - it's gone up! - they ALWAYS try a BIG number first - it's worth a try to see if the punter is daft enough to pay.

At the Diama crossing there is a LOOOOOONG line of white vans that have not managed to get past the douaniers .... their owners are trying to import them into Senegal. That seems to be a BIG problem.

RHD vehicles are not allowed into Gambia. If you DO manage to sneak it through the border post without them realising, the new owner will not be able to register it in Gambia. Guinea-Bissau or Mali may be the way to go for you???

Roger

Roger, is that a recent thing (RHD not allowed in Gambia)? I only ask because I know some people who went through 6 weeks ago in a RHD truck. Hope its not true or it buggers my plans up a bit for 2012.

hi,
of course legaly you can enter gambia as a tourist with a rhd.
only to sell the vehicle is a headache because to register it in the gambia the new owner has to convert it to lhd.

because of that prices for rhd are extremly down.
if they suspect you at he border that you come to sell your vehicle they may even ask you for a deposit payment before they let you enter.

greetz,
todo