Congestion Charge set to rise to £18 and increase every year from 2026
TfL has announced plans to increase the daily Congestion Charge to £18 from January 2026
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By Tia Harrison-North
Last updated: 27 May 2025
Plans from Transport for London (TfL) to increase the Congestion Charge by £3 (20%) increase per day are going to public consultation.
The price would rise from £15 per day to £18 – the first increase since 2020.
There are also plans to offer a new discount for electric cars. Electric vehicle (EV) drivers currently don’t pay Congestion Charge, but faced paying the full charge from Boxing Day 2025 until the latest changes were announced.
The changes are being proposed to keep congestion reduced for years to come, maintain and improving air quality in London.
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A breakdown of the 2025 plans:
Congestion Charge set to rise by 20% to £18 per day from January 2026
25% discount for electric cars using Auto Pay
50% discount for electric vans using Auto Pay
TfL also shared plans for the future of the Congestion Charge. Starting 4 March 2030:
12.5% discount for electric cars registered with Auto Pay
25% discount for electric vans, HGVs, and light and heavy quadricycles registered for Auto Pay
Yearly increases to Congestion Charge
TfL will also raise the idea of increasing Congestion Charge each year at a similar level to public transport price hikes (roughly in line with inflation) at the public consultation.
What is the Congestion Charge?
The Congestion Charge was introduced in London in 2003 with a £5 daily fee.
The aim was to improve air quality by reducing traffic and emissions in the London, and the government says it reduced congestion by 30% and increased bus travel in central London by 33% when it was introduced.
It’s different to the ULEZ charge, which is emissions-based, and can be paid up to 90 days in advance on the TfL website or via Auto Pay.