Congestion Charging

How are vehicles congestion charge exempt?

All two-wheelers, London licensed Taxis, London licensed minicabs, certain operational vehicles used by the emergency services, including HM Coastguard and Port Authorities, and certain operational vehicles used by the eight London Boroughs within the congestion charging zone.

Are you eligible for congestion charge exemption?

If you are one of the remaining 84% of motorists within London the only way you can become congestion charge exempt is to use an alternative fuel vehicle, either LPG, electric or fuel cells. Further more, these vehicles must be approved vehicles that have been converted by an approved supplier as listed on the Transport Action Register maintained by the Energy Saving Trust or an equivalent register. Alternative fuel goods vehicles (vans and lorries) must meet Euro III emissions standards or higher and alternative fuel cars and light commercial vehicles must meet emissions standards that are 40% above Euro IV standards to be eligible for congestion exemption in London.

Congestion charge zone -The Western Extension

In May 2005 TfL announced a further consultation period with specific proposals about the extensions. These included a plan to reduce the operating hours of the charge by half-an-hour to "boost trade at London's theatres, restaurants and cinemas". At the end of September 2005, London Mayor Ken Livingstone confirmed the western expansion of the congestion charge, to come into effect on 19th February 2007.

The Mayor admitted that this will increase traffic within the existing zone, due to the 230,000 residents that will find themselves living in the zone, and therefore with a discounted charge. Opposition is overwhelming to the expansion, with a significant majority of those responding to two public consultations, opposing the ban. This included businesses which say they are already struggling with sales: the heart of London shopping at Oxford Street is already within the original zone.

Congestion charge - The new boundary

As things stand, the boundary of the enlarged zone (with hours of operation to be reduced by 30 minutes, running from 07:00 to 18:00) will start at the northern end of Vauxhall Bridge and (traveling in a clockwise direction) head along the northern bank of the River Thames as Grosvenor Road, the Chelsea Embankment and Cheyne Walk. From here, it heads north, along the eastern edges of the Kensington and Earl's Court one-way systems (classified as part of the A3220), encompassing Edith Grove, Redcliffe Gardens, Earl's Court Road, Pembroke Road, Warwick Gardens and part of the Addison Road, before continuing to the A40 Westway as the Holland Road and the West Cross Route.

The congestion charge area’s include parts of North Kensington, but the actual boundary is defined by the West London Line railway track, which runs in between Latimer Road (inside the zone) and Wood Lane (outside the zone), until Scrubs Lane, before turning east, following the GWR line out of Paddington towards Ladbroke Grove. Here, the boundary follows the Grand Union Canal and rejoins the existing zone at Edgware Road after skirting Paddington, by way of the Bishop's Bridge Road, Eastbourne Terrace, Praed Street and Sussex Gardens.

News

London Congestion Charge – LATEST NEWS – 08/07/08 – GOOD NEWS!

Boris Johnson has announced that he has scrapped plans to abolish the Alternative Fuel discount scheme in the Congestion Charging Zone in London. This means that once again customers can be assured that any vehicle purchased from Ashwoods will be Congestion Charge Exempt for the foreseeable future.

The London Congestion Charge requires drivers to pay £8 per day if they wish to continue driving in central London during the scheme's hours of operation, currently Monday to Friday 7:00 to 18:30 hours.

Drivers pay to venture inside a ring road; the toll zone is eight miles square and covers 1.3% of the total 617 square miles of Greater London. To be eligible for exemption from the scheme your vehicle must be powered by an additional fuel to petrol or diesel, an alternative energy such as LPG.