I request a freedom of information in regards to Central London Congestion Charge for residents living within the zone. My request is for all information - legislation which will be implemented from 2025 and how this will affect those living, directly. Within the congestion zone. I understand the ULEZ will be expanded from 2021. What is not clear is if residents living in the congestion zone will have to have a pure electric vehicle or can they carry on using their Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel. Or if they are forced to buy a pure electric vehicle will they be able to drive within the congestion zone with a discount or exemption Please understand. I am referring to information for residents living within the congestion zone - Central London on and after 2025. Not the expanded ULEZ from 2021.

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Our ref: FOI-0573-2021/GH

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 3 July 2020 asking for information about Congestion Charging.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold the information you require.

The Congestion Charge is not an emissions based scheme but rather a charge for driving in the zone. Vehicles which drive in the zone during charging hours must pay the charge. There is however a series of discounts and exemptions and full details are available on our website at: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions

I believe your email is referring to the Cleaner Vehicle Discount (CVD). Currently vehicles that meet Euro 6 standards (petrol and diesel), that emit no more than 75g/km of CO2 and have a minimum 20 mile zero emission capable range will qualify for the 100% CVD. This is subject to registration with us.

From 25 October 2021, the CVD will change so that only battery electric vehicles are eligible. Then from 25 December 2025, the CVD will be discontinued. From this date, all vehicle owners, unless in receipt of another discount or exemption, will need to pay to enter the Congestion Charge zone during charging hours.

This does not mean that there will be a ban on petrol and diesel vehicles driving in the zone or that residents or any other motorists need to buy an electric vehicle. All this means is that there will be no Congestion Charging discount in place for cleaner vehicles and they will be liable for the Congestion Charge in the same way as other vehicles.

The Euro IV and Euro 6 emission standards do not apply to the Congestion Charge but are part of the ULEZ. While the ULEZ currently operates in the same geographical area as the Congestion Charge it is an emissions based charging scheme and runs independently from the Congestion Charge. Currently any vehicle which doesn’t meet the Euro IV emissions standard for petrol or Euro 6 for diesel must pay a charge to drive within the zone. This is in addition to any Congestion Charge which may be payable. Electric vehicles would meet the required emissions standards and so wouldn’t be liable to pay the ULEZ charge.

There are some changes to the ULEZ planned. Currently residents who are registered for the residents' Congestion Charge discount have been granted a time-limited grace period where a 100% discount from the ULEZ applies to their vehicle. This grace period expires on 24 October 2021, at which point the residents of the Congestion Charging zone become subject to the ULEZ in the same way other motorists are. However, to reiterate, any petrol vehicle which meets the Euro IV emissions standard or diesel vehicle which meets the Euro 6 standard would not be liable to pay the charge.

In addition, on 25 October 2021 the ULEZ will be expanded to cover the area up to, but not including, the North and South circular.

In respect of the legislation the Congestion Charge is governed by the Scheme Order which is available on our website at: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/consolidated-scheme-order-june-2020.pdf. The ULEZ is covered by the Low Emission Zone Scheme Order and is available at http://content.tfl.gov.uk/lez-scheme-order.pdf

If you would like any bespoke information about your vehicle then you can email our ULEZ correspondence team on [email protected].

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

The impact of current circumstances on TfL’s resources means we are not able to answer FOI requests readily and we ask that you please do not make a request to us at present.

Answering FOI requests will require the use of limited resources and the attention of staff who could be supporting other essential activity. In any event, please note that our response time will be affected by the current situation.

If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Graham Hurt

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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