London congestion charge set to rise by 20% under TfL plans

Digest opened free editor

Rola Khaleda, FT editor, chooses her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The London Transport Authority suggested a 20 percent increase in congestion fees and ending the population discount for non -electric vehicles, in changes, the body said it would maintain the effectiveness of the fees.

According to the proposals, which are subject to general consultation, the implications will increase from January 2 to 18 pounds per day, from 15 pounds currently.

The plans will also spend a 90 percent discount for drivers living in the crowding charges, in central London, unless they have pure EV.

This advertisement comes at a time when Transport for London continues its efforts to restore its financial resources, which was beaten due to the decrease in traffic during the Coronavirus pandemic. A person close to TFL said that revenue is expected to be born with an additional 30 million pounds during 2026.

TFL requires many short -term rescue operations from the former conservative government, and Chancellor Rachel Reeves called for a new long -term financing deal for the organization to review spending in June.

The accusation of crowding, which was imposed on the vehicles entering central London between 7 am and 6 pm from Monday to Friday and between noon and 6 pm on weekends, was controversial when it started in 2003 but it became largely acceptable. The charge was lastly lifted in 2020.

Among the proposed changes turned into the cleaner concentration concentration, which exempt all EVS from charging.

From January 2, the discount will be limited to 50 percent on electric trucks, heavy cargo cars and 25 percent for electric cars. After that, it will be reduced from March 2030 to 25 percent for trucks and 12.5 percent for cars.

This step to charging EVS is a response to a sharp growth in the number of these vehicles that enter central London, which undermined the effectiveness of the accusation in combating crowding.

SEB Dance, Deputy Chief of Transport, said that TFL modeling indicates that without providing an EVS charge, 2,200 additional cars will drive them in the crowding area next year in the average week of the week.

Dancing said: “Keeping London is moving by reducing congestion vital to our city and our economy.” “The crowding has achieved great success since its introduction, but we must make sure it is suitable for the purpose.”

The conservative opposition at the London Association carried out a campaign against the aspects of the mayor of the Labor Party, Sadiq Khan.

Keith Prince, a conservative transport spokesman at the association, said that the Labor Party could not stop themselves from “drivers” in the city and pointed to the extensive entry of the speed of 20 miles per hour, and a shipping system for the most contaminated vehicles and closing some streets of the neighborhoods through traffic as examples.

The prince said: “These proposed changes will break the appearance of London residents who have to travel through the road – either to work, because of disability, or for other reasons – by slowly increasing the cost,” the prince said.