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Daily Mirror
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
UK motorists warned as TfL's £18 plans unveiled for anyone driving in London
Plans to spike the London Congestion Charge to £18 per day has sparked outrage, with many branding the proposal 'day light robbery' - but TfL says such measures are necessary Brits could soon be stung with £18 fees for driving through central London - following controversial proposals to hike the Congestion Charge. Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled bold plans to increase the £15 daily fee for drivers in the Big Smoke by 20 per cent from January 2, 2026. The increase marks the first rise since 2020, when the fee cost just £11.50. In place from 7am-6pm Monday through Friday, and 12pm - 6pm on weekends and Bank Holidays, the charge aims to 'manage traffic and congestion in the heart of London' at the busiest times of day when road space is 'most constrained'. TfL states that congestion in the capital cost London £3.85 billion in 2024 alone - averaging out at £942 per driver. Its fee increase attempts to curb the additional 2,200 vehicles that would otherwise join the weekday traffic. TfL has also proposed that, from March 2027, and for new applicants only, the Residents' discount will be available only for electric vehicles. A public consultation on the changes started on May 27 and will end on August 4. Drivers who don't pay the charge within 48 hours will face a penalty of £180. However, this is reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days. Motorists with electric cars (EVs) will receive a 25 per cent discount if they're registered for Auto Pay - while a 50 per cent discount will be offered for electric vans, Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), light quadricycles and heavy quadricycles registered for Auto Pay. From March 4, 2030, these discounts will decrease to 25 per cent 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. 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. Drivers of older, more polluting vehicles are already subject to paying £12.50 to travel anything within the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) which was expanding in 2023 to cover all of London's Borough. This means cars that don't meet the Ulez requirement will have to pay £30.50 a day to drive through central London. "The congestion charge has been a huge success since its introduction, but we must ensure it is fit for purpose," said Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport. "Sticking to the status quo would see around 2,200 more vehicles using the congestion charging zone on an average weekday next year. "At the same time we must support Londoners and businesses to use greener and more sustainable travel. That's why I'm pleased we're proposing that substantial incentives remain in place for Londoners who switch to cleaner vehicles. We encourage everyone to have their say and respond to the public consultation." The proposals were also welcomed by environmental charities including Clean Cities Campaign and Possible. Sophie O'Connell, Senior policy adviser at the Green Alliance said: "It's great to see London continuing its leadership in encouraging the switch to cleaner vehicles through the proposed changes to the Clean Vehicle Discount. "With larger incentives for electric vans and delivery vehicles, which have further to go in decarbonising, these changes target the right areas. The new measures send a clear signal: driving a polluting vehicle through central London should not be cheaper than taking public transport, making the cleaner choice the obvious one while supporting both public health and the environment." However, the announcement has riled swathes of commuters - who have branded the proposed charges 'daylight robbery'. "Jeez, how to rinse every pound out of the ordinary working man," one person complained on X (formerly Twitter). Another scathed: "Another reason not to visit London anymore!" A third added: "Worked in London in the 80s and I wouldn't visit the capital now if you paid me," while a fourth dubbed the charge a 'pure money-making scam'.
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Sadiq Khan to scrap congestion charge discount for locals without electric cars
Sir Sadiq Khan has proposed a 20pc rise in London's congestion charge and plans to scrap a discount for people who live within the zone unless they drive an electric vehicle (EV). Transport for London (TfL), which is overseen by the Mayor, plans to raise the daily charge for driving in central London from £15 to £18 from January 2026. It will be the first increase since 2020, when the fee climbed from £11.50. TfL also plans to close the residents' discount scheme to new entrants unless they drive an EV. Currently, locals can qualify for a 90pc discount, a policy that has been in place since the congestion charge was introduced in 2003 by Ken Livingstone. But under the new plans, anyone who moves to a property within the zone from March 2027 will have to own an EV to avoid paying the full driving charge. TfL said the changes would 'encourage the uptake of electric vehicles and promote sustainable travel across the capital'. However, the plans may prove controversial given the relatively weak uptake of EVs in the UK. One in five cars sold in March were EVs but that was below government targets. At the current pace, it will take years for the market to switch to fully electric vehicles. TfL is also proposing to increase the congestion charge annually in line with public transport fares, which typically rise each year in line with inflation. It said there would be more than 2,200 extra cars on the roads unless the charge increased. Seb Dance, the deputy mayor for transport, said: 'We must support Londoners and businesses to use greener and more sustainable travel. That's why I'm pleased we're proposing that substantial incentives remain in place for Londoners who switch to cleaner vehicles.' However, Susan Hall, leader of the City Hall Conservative Group, said: 'The war on motorists is alive and kicking under the dreadful mayoralty of Sadiq Khan.' The changes come as TfL faces a budget shortfall of £23m this financial year, with Rachel Reeves's increase in National Insurance contributions putting pressure on the transport authority. The Department for Transport previously announced that TfL would receive an additional £500m in government funding this year. TfL's public consultation on the proposed changes will run until Aug 4. London has the most congested roads in Europe, a title it has held for four years in a row.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Drivers set to see Congestion Charge increased to £18 per day
Motorists are set to see the Congestion Charge increase to £18 per day under bold new plans. Drivers across London have been warned they could be forced to pay £18 daily in Congestion Charge costs under the new proposals from Labour Party Mayor Sadiq Khan. Under new proposals, the transport authority is looking to set the daily charge for travelling in the city centre to £18 from January 2026, up from its current £15 fee. Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said in a statement in relation to the consultation from the Department for Transport this week: "Keeping London moving by reducing congestion is vital for our city and for our economy. READ MORE: Drivers over 70 'not legally allowed to drive' after licence error READ MORE: DVLA sends out alert to anyone who passed their driving test before 2015 READ MORE Foreign Office issues 'important' warning for UK tourists 'who have health condition' "The Congestion Charge has been a huge success since its introduction, but we must ensure it is fit for purpose. Sticking to the status quo would see around 2,200 more vehicles using the congestion charging zone on an average weekday next year." He explained that while improving air pollution in the city, TfL also aimed to support Londoners and businesses in using greener and more sustainable travel. "That's why I'm pleased we're proposing that substantial incentives remain in place for Londoners who switch to cleaner vehicles. We encourage everyone to have their say and respond to the public consultation," he added. Christina Calderato, TfL's Director of Strategy, explained that the Congestion Charge has been "hugely successful" in supporting the move to electric vehicles and increasing walking, cycling and the use of public transport. She added: "With these proposed changes, we want to make sure it continues to be effective in managing traffic and congestion in central London while providing ongoing support to those who need to drive in the zone to make the switch to an electric vehicle. "I would encourage people to respond to the consultation to help shape our plans."
BBC News
20-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
'Ding ding' Routemaster bus sound trialled to reduce injuries
Transport for London (TfL) could be bringing back the original Routemaster sound to indicate when a bus is about to old 'ding ding' sound is also being trialled with other sounds to see which would act as the best prompt for customers to hold on to handrails or stay seated until the bus has iconic Routemaster bus was known for its red colour, open rear platform and its 'hold tight' bell. It was phased out in is hoped the sound will help reduce the number of injuries, particularly for older customers who may remember the sound from years gone by. Slips, trips and falls are the most common cause of customer injuries on buses, accounting for around 71% of all injuries, TfL small-scale trial started last week on route 183 travelling between Golders Green and second part of the trial is taking place this week on route 94 travelling between Piccadilly Circus and Acton the buses where the sound is played there will be teams on board the buses to gather feedback from feedback and wider behavioural analysis will then be used to determine if the trial was successful in prompting passengers to hold on while the bus moves off. The results will be reviewed before next steps are Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: "London's classic red Routemaster bus is known across the globe and its 'ding ding' sound is instantly recognisable and nostalgic for many Londoners. "
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Yahoo
TfL offers bystander awareness training over abuse
Courses on how to react to harassment on the transport network is being offered by Transport for London (TfL) as part of their efforts to encourage people to be "active bystanders". TfL said Londoners had told them they wanted to intervene safely when they see harassment, which can include cat-calling, cyber-flashing and inappropriate touching. The three-hour training sessions will take place online in March and April and aim to "empower customers to act if they witness any form of harassment on the public transport network". The transport authority has been running a series of poster campaigns for several years to encourage witnesses of sexual harassment to step in and "defuse" incidents. The sessions are being delivered by Protection Approaches, a national charity working to prevent all forms of identity-based violence. Last year, TfL said an increase in reported sexual offences on public transport across the capital was "a positive sign" that more people were alerting the authorities when it happens. London's deputy mayor for transport, Seb Dance, said: "Everyone should be able to use public transport without fear of abuse and TfL has a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime. "Londoners have told us that they want to be able to intervene safely if they witness a hate crime, and having the right knowledge can make all the difference." Siwan Hayward, TfL's director of security policing enforcement, said the sessions would support the "existing training as provided by TfL". "We continue to work with policing partners to ensure a safe, accessible and equitable network for all," she added. 'I was sexually harassed and Tube staff gave me a leaflet' LGBTQ+ 'feel threatened on public transport' Bid to end harassment on London transport launched The transport authority still urging people to report offences either to the Metropolitan Police if the incident happened on London buses, or the British Transport Police if it occurred on the Tube, DLR, Trams, London Overground, IFS Cable Car and the rail network in London. TfL said: "We know from our research that it's common for people to think that what they have seen or experienced isn't 'serious enough' to warrant them seeking help or reporting, so we want to reassure people that this is not the case. "If it's made you feel uncomfortable, it's all serious to us." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Sexual offence reports on London transport up 10% Calls for bystanders to report sexual harassment Sex offences against young women up 33% - BTP Transport for London
