TfL plots congestion charge increase to £18 per day

Changes to London driving rules could also see residents' discount become exclusive to EVs Transport for London (TfL) has proposed raising the congestion charge for driving into the capital during peak hours to £18 per day. TfL has called for public views on the hike – up from the current £15 per day – which has been mooted to come into effect from 2 January 2026. It would mark the first increase in the congestion charge since 2020 and, TfL said, falls below inflation rates for the past five years. According to the Bank of England, £15 in 2020 is equivalent to £19 today. The congestion charge zone covers an area of central London encircled by Vauxhall Bridge, Euston Road, Commercial Street, Tower Bridge Road and New Kent Road. Among other measures intended to increase charges for motorists, the transport authority has also proposed limiting the discount for residents of central London to electric vehicles exclusively, from March 2027. TfL also proposed “routine annual increases” to the cost of the congestion charge, in line with rises in the cost of public transport. Meanwhile, it suggested that electric vehicles – which will no longer be exempt from the congestion charge from 25 December 2025 – be charged a discounted rate dependent on their vehicle class. It said that electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles should be given a 50% discount from 2 January 2026 (paying £9 per day), while electric cars should be granted 25% off (paying £13.50 daily). It also proposed halving those discounts from 4 March 2030, so electric cars would qualify for just 12.5% off. The public consultation on the changes to the congestion charge runs from 27 May to 4 August and can be accessed here: https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/congestion-charge-proposals?cid=congestion-charge-proposals The proposed changes mark the latest move to discourage the use of combustion-engined vehicles in central London – and, ultimately, to discourage the use of private vehicles altogether, to improve the capital’s air quality. “Achieving this long-term vision will require cutting congestion further and a greater shift away from petrol and diesel vehicles towards walking, cycling and public transport,” said TfL in a statement. The capital’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) was expanded two years ago to encompass the entire city. It charges drivers of older vehicles with higher toxic emissions (such as NOx) £12.50 per day to drive inside the zone. The suggested changes are in line with a broader appetite within the UK government to discourage the uptake of combustion-engined vehicles and stimulate the shift to EVs. Autocar last week reported the government was set to raise the Expensive Car Supplement – better known as the ‘luxury car tax’ – threshold for electric cars costing more than £40,000, to boost their uptake.

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