Combined, and taking into account overlaps with the aforementioned inclusion of EVs, TfL says it expects Congestion Charge revenue to grow from £240 million in the financial year 2024/25, to £320 million in 2026/27, essentially stuffing an extra £80 million into Sadiq Khan’s pockets per year.
Talking to Auto Express, a spokesperson for the AA said the association is “bitterly disappointed that TfL is now picking on EV drivers,” pointing out how the “incentive to get more people into zero emissions vehicles has now been swallowed up in a general cash grab.”
“London has done next to nothing to provide a park-and-ride facility on the outskirts of the city, but is happy to implement a Congestion Charge that makes people think twice about driving in,” the AA explained.
This comes soon after TfL implemented tolls for the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels — something, figures suggest, has reduced traffic by roughly 5,000 drivers per day.
The Department for Transport has also decided to increase the Dart Charge Dartford Crossing toll by £1 in September; Transport Secretary, Lilian Greenwood, said current traffic levels at the crossing “are well in excess of [its] design capacity, causing delays, congestion and journey disruption to drivers on the M25 and a range of knock-on impacts for local communities”.
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