EV drivers to pay discounted London congestion charge from 2026

London: Electric car drivers will have to pay London’s congestion charge for the first time next year but at a discounted rate, city authorities said. 

The full fee, which drivers pay to enter the center of the city, will rise from £15 ($20) to £18 a day, under proposals released by Transport for London (TFL), which manages the city’s road charging programme.

The charge, which applies from 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays and from noon to 6 pm on weekends, has been in place since 2003 and was last increased five years ago.

One analysis found that there had been a 15% reduction in traffic in the first year of the policy.

A second fee, known as the ultra-low emission zone, or Ulez, was introduced in 2019 in central London to penalise the most polluting vehicles and improve air quality.

It has since been expanded to cover the whole of London. 

Without the changes, the charge risks becoming ineffective in reducing congestion, TFL said.

Around 2,200 extra cars would be driven into the zone on an average weekday next year if the rules are not changed, said Seb Dance, deputy mayor for transport.

“The congestion charge has been a huge success since its introduction, but we must ensure it is fit for purpose.”