London’s congestion charge will rise by 20% in January from £15 to £18 and electric vehicle drivers will be liable to pay to enter the heart of the capital for the first time.
EVs will no longer be exempt from the levy, Transport for London said, but will pay a lower rate. Electric car drivers will get a 25% discount, paying £13.50 a day, while electric vans and HGVs will pay £9 – 50% of the full charge.
Motoring groups criticised the changes as a backward step.
The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, said that without the shake-up, another 2,200 vehicles would be driving in the zone on an average weekday, making it no longer fit for purpose.
The charge was introduced in 2003 with the aim of reducing traffic on London’s congested streets.
Six times as many electric vehicles – almost 120,000 – are now registered to drive in the zone compared with 2019, when the full discount for EVs was introduced. It was scheduled to expire at the end of the year.
Khan said: “Keeping London moving by reducing congestion is vital for our city and for our economy. While the congestion charge has been a huge success since its introduction, we must ensure it stays fit for purpose, and sticking to the status quo would see around 2,200 more vehicles using the congestion charging zone on an average weekday next year.”
He said substantial incentives would remain in place for Londoners who switch to cleaner vehicles. The 90% discount for all residents of the zone will only apply to EV owners from March 2027, and car clubs for vehicle sharing will be given a full exemption for EVs.
The moves were criticised, however, for making EVs less attractive. Labour’s transport spokesperson on the London assembly, Elly Baker, said it would “make it harder for people to go green when they need a vehicle to do their jobs”, and that minicab drivers who had “done the right thing by switching to an EV will be penalised by this”.
The AA president, Edmund King, urged Khan to reverse the decision. “This is a backward step which sadly will backfire on air quality in London,” he said.
“Many drivers are not quite ready to make the switch to electric vehicles so incentives are still needed to help them over the line. The mayor needs to reconsider to continue to help more essential van and car journeys in the capital go electric.”
The congestion charge applies to central London between 7am and 6pm on weekdays, and between noon and 6pm at weekends and on bank holidays.
There is a separate levy for London’s ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez), which covers all of Greater London. The oldest, most-polluting vehicles have to pay a daily charge to drive in the area – £12.50 for cars and more for older coaches and lorries – although the majority of cars are exempt.
Speculation is growing that EV drivers may face additional charges across the UK. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is reportedly considering a pay-per-mile scheme for EVs in her November budget, given that the vehicles are not liable for fuel duty.
