Proposal A: Increasing the Congestion Charge from £15 to £18

The Congestion Charge has been set at £15 since 2020. It is now five years since the last charge level increase, and it is timely to review whether a further increase is necessary in order to maintain the deterrent effect of the charge in the context of wider inflation. We propose to increase the charge to £18 from 2 January 2026, which would be a lower increase than inflation since 2020. For those paying the charge in the three days after travel, the charge would increase from £17.50 to £21.

This increase would help to maintain the traffic management effects of the Congestion Charging scheme in central London, support the other aims of the MTS, and meet the Mayor’s ambitions to improve air quality in London, achieve a net zero carbon city by 2030 and cut congestion in the capital. The increase in charge level reflects the high value of road space in central London and has been assessed and is forecast to have a positive impact on (that is, to reduce) traffic in the CCZ.

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