The Congestion Charge will rise from £15 to £18 next year under plans announced by Transport for London.
The proposed rise will come into effect from January 2026 and is the first increase in the charge since 2020.
Motorists will then face annual increases as with public passenger transport fares to the C-Charge, which was introduced in 2003.
Under the changes, TfL is proposing a new cleaner vehicle discount. The current 100% discount for fully electric vehicles was due to end on Christmas Day, with drivers of EVs facing the same charge as other motorists.
See also: Don’t let London slip a gear in its electric vehicle uptake
Now EV car drivers will have a 25% discount from January 2, 2026, while electric van drivers will benefit from a 50% discount.
Announcing the proposed changes on Tuesday – which now go out to public consultation – TfL pointed to analysis showing there will be more than 2,200 additional vehicles on an average weekday under the status quo.
Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: “Keeping London moving by reducing congestion is vital for our city and for our economy.
“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.
“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 proposed new cleaner vehicle discount will be introduced in two phases:
From 2 January 2026:
From 4 March 2030:
According to TfL, the introduction of the C-Charge led to a 30% reduction in congestion within the zone. It also boosted bus travel by 33%.
Oliver Lord, UK Head of Clean Cities Campaign, said: “We’ve record numbers of polluting diesel vans in the UK so I’m thrilled the Mayor is helping to reward businesses that invest in greener fleets. By prioritising electric and pedal powered freight, we will all benefit from cleaner air and quieter streets.
“There’s no use having a Congestion Charge that nobody pays so I think today’s proposals strike a fair balance between its core aims around traffic and congestion, whilst also advancing our environmental goals.”
The proposed concessions come days after the Standard launched our Leading the Charge campaign calling on TfL to extend the congestion charge exemption for EVs beyond Christmas Day.
Although the new consultation proposals are welcome, drivers of EV cars – including private hire vehicles - will still face a daily charge of £13.50, from January 2, while vans and other commercial vehicles will be hit by a £9 charge.
The Standard will continue to fight for a 100% congestion charge discount for all EV drivers to help build on the successes of recent years in cleaning London’s air.
