Just four per cent of payments made in shops.
  • More than 250,000 customers now use automated payment system
  • Removal of retail payment channel to save £600,000 a year

Transport for London (TfL) is reminding Congestion Charge customers that the option to pay the Congestion Charge in shops and petrol stations will end from this Friday, 26 July.

The change follows a public consultation and is a direct result of the vast majority of customers now paying the charge through the automatic payment method, Congestion Charge Auto Pay (CC Auto Pay). 

Reducing costs

CC Auto Pay is completely automated, offers users a reduced daily charge of £9 (rather than £10 if paid using other methods) and ensures they need never be fined for non-payment of the charge.

In contrast, the popularity of paying the charge in shops and petrol stations has fallen dramatically - from 37 per cent when the Congestion Charge was introduced in 2003 to just four per cent of all payments today.

Removing the option to pay the charge in shops and petrol stations will also reduce the cost of operating the Congestion Charge by £600,000 a year.
 
Drivers will still be able to pay the Congestion Charge using a wide range of other means including online, by phone, by text message or by CC Auto Pay.

Notes to editors:

  • CC Auto Pay is an automated payment system which automatically records the number of days a vehicle travels within the charging zone each month and bills the account holder's payment card accordingly. Drivers registered for CC Auto Pay avoid fines and pay a reduced daily charge of £9. An annual £10 registration charge per vehicle applies to register for CC Auto Pay
  • The decision to remove the option to pay the charge in shops was confirmed by the Mayor in April this year following a 12-week public consultation which sought the views of Londoners, businesses and key stakeholders
  • The removal of this payment option will mean that customers will no longer be able to pay for the Congestion Charge using cash