Feedback sought on London congestion charge changes

Transport for London (TfL) is seeking views on a number of changes to the Congestion Charge to ensure it remains efficient at reducing congestion, as well as encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles and sustainable travel.

It is proposed that the charge level is increased from £15 to £18 from 2 January 2026, which is the first increase in five years.

From 1 March 2027, it is proposed that eligible new applicants for the 90 per cent Residents' discount will only be able to receive the discount for an electric vehicle. Those who are already registered for the discount ahead of this date will not see any changes, reflecting that they might be reliant on their current form of transport.

TfL is also consulting on some proposed changes to the Mayor's road user charging guidance, which would allow the Congestion Charge to be increased each year in line with Tube fares, inflation plus 1 per cent or a lower amount. These increases would only apply to the Congestion Charge and not the ULEZ. The new proposed procedure would create consistency with the approach that applies when public passenger transport fares are set and would ensure that public transport does not become proportionately more expensive than driving in central London.

To provide further support for people and businesses who have invested in, or are considering switching to an electric vehicle, TfL is proposing a new CVD from January 2026 that has a higher discount for journeys that are harder to switch to walking, cycling and public transport, such as those made by vans for commercial purposes. The discount will change over the timeframe outlined in the consultation to give support to those making the green transition, while also keeping London moving.

The proposed new discount will be introduced in two phases: From 2 January 2026: 50 per cent discount for electric vans, Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), light quadricycles and heavy quadricycles registered for Auto Pay; and 25 per cent discount for electric cars registered for Auto Pay.

From 4 March 2030: 25 per cent discount for electric vans, HGVs, light quadricycles and heavy quadricycles registered for Auto Pay; and 12.5 per cent discount for electric cars registered for Auto Pay

To make it easier for drivers to access the discount, it is proposed that it will be applied automatically from DVLA data, rather than having to separately register and prove a vehicle meets the standards. If the changes go ahead, drivers with eligible vehicles will simply need to sign up to Auto Pay to receive the discount.

The consultation is open until 4 August 2025.