Increased London congestion charge takes effect from 22 June

Transport for London has announced temporary changes to the congestion charge to reduce traffic in central London, which has seen an increase in car use due to people avoiding public transport during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From 22 June the Congestion Charge will temporarily increase to £15, operate 07:00-22:00 seven days a week, and the residents' discount will be closed to new applicants on 1 August.

The Mayor of London, however, is extending the Congestion Charge reimbursement schemes to support those at the heart of the response to the crisis.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: "The Government was absolutely clear that TfL must bring forward proposals to widen the level and scope of the Congestion Charge. Coronavirus continues to present our city with unprecedented challenges but I am determined to ensure that we emerge from this pandemic with a cleaner, greener and more sustainable transport system.

"The reality is that due to social distancing requirements public transport can only carry a fraction of the number of passengers compared to pre-pandemic levels - even when we are back to running completely full services.

'While capacity on the network needs to be preserved for those people who need it most, we can't allow journeys that were previously taken on public transport to be replaced with car trips.

"I am really proud that our world-leading Streetspace for London plans continue to move forward at pace, with 19,000m2 of additional space now created for walking and cycling. Alongside the temporary changes to the Congestion Charge, this will enable millions more journeys to be made on foot or by bike and will keep our roads moving for Londoners who need to make essential trips.'

The FTA's Natalie Chapman, however, says this has come at a very challenging time for the logistics sector. She said: "The suspension of the Congestion Charge back in March 2020 was extremely welcome in helping operators focus on dealing with the crisis. However, to reward this hard work – completed under very challenging circumstances – with such abrupt and significant changes to the London Congestion Charge is extremely disappointing to FTA and its members.

"Like many other sectors, logistics is suffering financially from the pandemic – 76% of respondents to FTA’s own industry survey report a general business downturn – and as a sector has a long road to economic recovery ahead; increasing the scheme’s rates and extending its operating hours so abruptly will be detrimental to this recovery process. While FTA understands the financial pressures TfL is currently facing and supports the broad intention behind the scheme – to manage congestion and improve air quality in the capital by incentivising active travel over vehicle use – logistics businesses have little alternative but to drive in London to meet the delivery needs of consumers and businesses, so this simply amounts to a tax on deliveries.
 
“FTA is also disappointed by the lack of consultation on such a significant decision, and, although the changes are only temporary, TfL has given no concrete indication of how long they will last. Permanent implementation should be out of the question.”