London congestion charge: Zone limits, price changes and times explained
DRIVERS have to pay a congestion charge to get around London using a motor vehicle.
The fee to go around the capital is £15 and here is all you need to know about it.
How much is the congestion charge?
The Congestion Zone charge in London is £15.
From June 22, the charge has risen from £11.50 to £15 and the hours the fee applies have been extended.
Transport for London (TfL) said the temporary measure was introduced under the terms of its £1.6 billion bailouts by the Government.
The rise came after the charging zone was highly congested when coronavirus restrictions eased back in 2020 and it was feared that the roads would become "unusably congested."
It was believed the increased fee could reduce car trips by a third and encourage more people to make journeys by walking or cycling.
But, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) said: “Now is not the time to hit people with extra costs at short notice.
“The Government is looking to industry to kickstart the economy and the decision to reintroduce and increase charges to drivers and fleet operators risks stifling businesses who are doing their best to keep on with the important job of transporting people and goods across the capital."
"The fee change will also hit new residents living within the , said TfL.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “Even though TfL were between a rock and a hard place in terms of finances, these hikes are taking the charges from a ‘congestion’ charge to a ‘taxation’ charge.
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“Traffic at weekends and in the evenings is at its lowest ebb and hence this is no longer a congestion charge.
"What are the alternatives for longer journeys? Public transport can’t cope. More walking and cycling whilst welcome isn’t viable for all people and all journeys.
“There are just 10,000 park and ride (Tube) spaces in London so emergency measures should be brought in to set up park/cycle facilities at the O2, Stratford and other locations."
When does the congestion charge start and end?
You need to pay a £15 daily charge if you drive within the Congestion Charge zone in the capital from 7am till 6pm from Monday to Friday.
On Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays, the timings are from 12pm till 6pm.
There will be no charge to pay between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
What is the London congestion charge?
The Congestion Charge was introduced in 2003 to tackle the traffic problems in London, hoping to reduce the high traffic flow and increase the use of the city's public transport.
Back then, it cost £5 a day.
The congestion zone covers a 21 sq km area - zones 1 on the Transport for London tube map.
Former mayor Ken Livingstone said he hoped the charge would reduce congestion, improve bus services, make journey times more consistent for drivers and increase efficiency for those distributing goods and services throughout the city.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the capital’s air quality programme, including the introduction of the ULEZ, had already contributed to a reduction of 44 per cent in roadside nitrogen dioxide in central London between February 2017 and January 2020
As London and the rest of the UK started easing off coronavirus restrictions, pollution started increasing again.
The payment is only required once a day, no matter how many times you drive in and out of the zones.
Khan said the hike in the congestion charge would "encourage Londoners not to make unnecessary car journeys, and is expected to reduce journeys within the Congestion Charge zone by a third.
"This would significantly reduce air pollution in central London compared to pre-Covid levels and help tackle the climate emergency."
If you don't pay by midnight on the third charging day after you drive in the zone, you'll get a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £160, which will be reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days.
You can pay the C-Charge in several ways.
But, it's quickest and easiest if you set up , where drivers are billed automatically for the number of charging days your vehicle travels within the C-Charge area.
TfL warns, "don't pay through unofficial websites which may mislead you. You should always pay the Congestion Charge with us on our secure online system".
What is the ULEZ?
The (ULEZ) started on April 8, 2019, in Central London, to replace the T-Charge (toxicity charge).
Most vehicles, including cars and vans, need to meet the ULEZ emissions standards or their drivers must pay a £12.50 daily fee to drive most vehicle types, including cars, motorcycles and vans within the zone.
Euro - which first appeared in 1992 - are a range of emissions controls that set limits for air-polluting nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) from engines.
The ULEZ standards are:
- Euro 3 for motorcycles, mopeds, motorised tricycles and quadricycles (L category)
- Euro 4 (NOx) for petrol cars, vans, minibuses and other specialist vehicles
- Euro 6 (NOx and PM) for diesel cars, vans and minibuses and other specialist vehicles
- Euro VI (NOx and PM) for lorries, buses and coaches and other specialist heavy vehicles (NOx and PM)
If your car meets the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) but is:
- a van or specialist diesel vehicle (over 1.205 tonnes) or a minibus (up to five tonnes) which do not meet Euro 3 standards, then you have to pay £100.
- an HGV, a lorry, a van or a specially heavy vehicle over 3.5 tonnes or a minibus or a bus or a coach over five tonnes which do not meet Euro VI (NOx and PM), then you have to £100.
- an HGV, a lorry, a van, a special heavy vehicle over 3.5 tonnes or a minibus, a bus or a coach over five tonnes which do not meet Euro IV (PM) will have to pay £300.
If you drive a vehicle that doesn't meet the ULEZ standards within the central London area and the daily charge is not paid, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be issued to the registered keeper.
This penalty is in addition to any C-Charge or (LEZ) penalties received for the most polluting heavy diesel vehicles.
What can you do to avoid the congestion charges?
TfL says to avoid the congestion charge, people should consider:
- walking, cycling or using public transport
- upgrading your vehicle to meet the emission standards, and avoid the ULEZ fee
- join a car club
Are there discounts to the congestion charge?
Motorists who can apply for a discount include:
- Residents within the zone - but be quick as the 90 per cent discount doesn't apply to new applicants from August 1, 2020
- Blue Badge holders
- Accredited breakdown vehicles
- Vehicles with nine or more seats
- Ultra-low emission vehicles - but from October 25, 2021, only battery electric vehicles will be eligible. And from December 25, 2025, the cleaner vehicle-discount will be discontinued
- Motor tricycles that are one metre or less wide
- Roadside recovery vehicles