London Congestion Charge to rise to £18 and EVs to pay for first time
Consumer Editor
The London Mayor Sadiq Khan and TfL have announced that the daily Congestion Charge will increase from £15 to £18 from January 2nd, 2026.
This is the first time that electric vehicles (EVs) will have to pay the fee.
As part of the first phase of the changes, electric vans, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), and quadricycles that are registered for Auto Pay will receive a 50% discount.
In addition, electric cars, including Private Hire Vehicles, which are registered for Auto Pay will benefit from a 25% discount.
The second phase will commence on March 4th, 2030. From this date, electric vans, HGVs, and quadricycles registered for Auto Pay will qualify for a 25% discount.
Electric cars, including Private Hire Vehicles, registered for Auto Pay will instead receive a 12.5% discount.
This is the first rise in the London Congestion Charge since June 2020 – when the cost rose from £11.50.
Christina Calderato, TfL's Director of Strategy, said: “If we want to ensure that London remains a thriving city for everyone to enjoy, then it's vital that traffic and congestion is kept under control and managed effectively.
“The changes to the Congestion Charging scheme play a key role in allowing us to do that, while striking a careful balance that enables drivers, businesses and other organisations to continue transitioning to cleaner vehicles and more sustainable forms of transport.”
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Following the announcement, Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, 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.
“We must support Londoners and businesses to use more sustainable travel, so I'm pleased that substantial incentives will remain in place for Londoners who switch to cleaner vehicles, as we work to build a greener and better London for everyone.”
The penalties for not paying the Congestion Charge within 48 hours will result in a £180 fine – which is reduced to £90 if it is paid within 14 days.
The charges for the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will not be affected by the announcement.
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