TfL Ref: FOI-0744-1718

Thank you for your email received by us on 26 June 2017 asking for information about Congestion Charge evaders.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.  I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked:

Can you advise of the top 10 Congestion Charge evaders, how much they owe, how long have their debts taken to build and what actions have been taken by TFL to recover these costs?

The 10 organisations with the highest amount owing in Congestion Charge penalties are all foreign embassies.

We and the UK Government are clear that the Congestion Charge is a charge for a service and not a tax. This means that diplomats are not exempt from paying it.  Around three quarters of embassies in London do pay the charge however, there remains a minority who refuse to do so, despite our representations through diplomatic channels. We will continue to pursue all unpaid Congestion Charge fees and related penalty charge notices and are pushing for the matter to be taken up at the International Court of Justice.

Full details of the amount outstanding is available on our website at http://content.tfl.gov.uk/cclez-online-factsheet-embassy-debt-.pdf

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

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Paulina Tuffour
FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London