Driving in London – Be Aware of the Costs
If you ever find yourself having to drive in London, whether that’s in a rental vehicle or your own, chances are you’re already aware that there are certain areas you have to pay extra for driving in. Areas in and around the Central London area are marked with a white ‘C’ in a red circle denoting that those areas are part of the congestion charge zone.
When does the Congestion Charge apply?
As the name implies, the Congestion Charge was introduced to discourage road users from adding to the typical congestion seen in London and major metropolitan areas worldwide. There is no congestion charge during times when roads would be considerably less busy. You’ll only need to pay the congestion charge if your non-exempt vehicle enters the charging zone between 7am and 6pm on a weekday. Bank holidays are also free from charge.
Non-exempt? Which vehicles don’t need to pay the congestion charge?
While most motor vehicles entering the congestion charge zone are required to pay, there are a few which are exempt from the charge. The majority of disabled drivers don’t need to pay to drive within the chargeable zone, nor do motorbikes or mopeds.
Ultra-Low emissions vehicles, petrol-electric hybrids, vehicles with 9 or more seats, electric cars and accredited breakdown vehicles may well qualify for a 100% discount on the congestion charge, but you’ll have to pay £10 to register for this discount and provide additional paperwork to make sure/prove your vehicle qualifies.
How much is the London Congestion Charge?
For most vehicles, driving in areas subject to the congestion charge will cost £11.50 per day. If you’re going to be doing lots of driving in London, or you’re liable to forget to pay, it might be worth registering for the Auto-Pay system which is a Direct Debit system dor the London Congestion Charge. It costs £10 to register, but the daily charge is reduced by £1. It’s worth pointing out that residents can get a 90% discount too.
What if I forget to pay the Congestion Charge?
If you stray into a charging zine without spotting the signs, or forget to pay the charge by midnight the following day, then, as you’d expect, the penalties can be quite steep. The standard penalty charge is currently £160, which will be halved to £80 if paid promptly. Fail to pay however and the charge goes up a further 50% to £240.
The Congestion Charge Isn’t the only charge
As irksome as it is to have to pay extra to drive in central London, be aware that the Congestion Charge might not be the only charge which applies to vehicles entering the Congestion Charge Zone. The T-Charge (short for Toxicity Charge) is an additional charge levied against cars and small vans which don’t meet the Euro 4 emissions standard and costs an extra £10 per day. There’s also an Ultra Low Emissions Zone charge which applies in the same area at all times, with slight differences between emissions standards between petrol and diesel engines and costs an additional £12.50 per day.
The charges above apply to cars and small vans only, larger vans, small goods vehicles, large goods vehicles, buses, coaches and specialist vehicles all have separate scales of charges based on their size, weight and the emissions standards they comply with. Some vehicles could cost as much as £310 per day to drive within the congestion charge zone!
How do I find out which Charges Apply to Me?
With the charges being levied being based on a number of factors, it’s easy to get things wrong, especially if you don’t know the details of your vehicle’s emissions. With this being the case, there’s a tool on the Transport For London site which can be used to input the number plate of a vehicle to find out which charges apply.
Taking a hire car from Priory Rentals car to London
If you’re having to hire a car which you’ll be using to travel to Central London, get in touch with us with your requirements and we’ll help you find the best car in our range which suits your needs while minimising the charges you’ll have to pay to drive in Central London.