Experts have warned that drivers could be hit with an extra £40million in fees after a major change. The congestion charge in central London increases from £15 to £18 from January 2, and, according to new research from cinch, Transport for London (TfL) is set to rake in a huge amount from motorists as a result. A freedom of information request was submitted to the authority, which revealed that £202.8million was generated in congestion charge payments between April 2024 and March 2025.
Based on these volumes, cinch's analysis suggests the price increase could push total TfL revenue to more than £243 million in 2026. Ben Welham, motoring expert at the company, said: "The £3 daily increase means a commuting driver will pay £4,500 per year in Congestion Charge fees if they drive into the capital five days a week, a hike of £750."
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"Our analysis, based on 250 working days per year, highlights the heavy financial impact the increase will have on individual drivers and businesses."
The fee was introduced by former London Mayor Ken Livingstone in 2003. Our sister site MyLondon bumped into him on a London bus in 2023.
Mr Livingstone said: "I introduced the congestion charge, cut fares by a third and a load of people, 12 per cent of drivers gave up their cars and switched to using public transport.”
He added: "I just want a car-free London, and everyone on the Tube and bus and train.”
Margaret Thatcher's former nemesis on the Greater London Council thinks humanity faces extinction from climate change by mid-century.
Mr Livingstone said: “I’m deeply pessimistic about what life’s going to be like for my kids in 20 years.”
Londoners are going to face more flooding and wildfires, he suggested, adding: “It’s going to get worse and worse and worse.
“The temperature’s going up, more people are dying every year, and no Government anywhere in the world is stopping it.”
That same year, letters exchanged by Sadiq Khan and Boris Johnson's government revealed that officials proposed in 2020 an expansion of the congestion charge at the same time as the Ultra Low emission zone (ULEZ) in October 2021.