9 January 2018

TFL increases Congestion Charge Penalty Charge Notice

The fine for non-payment of the London Congestion Charge increased on Tuesday 2nd January.

Transport for London (TFL) has increased the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) from £65 to £80 or £130 to £160 for late payment, with a proposed rise for offences on TFL’s road network to follow later in the year, subject to a review by the Secretary of State

At Activa Contracts, all of our customers are protected from the late payment charge as we will always pay the fine immediately to ensure no extra charges are incurred. This does not affect our client’s ability to appeal the charges, but gives them peace of mind that if any fines are incurred, they will always be the minimum amount.

The Congestion Charge had played an important role in reducing the number of vehicles in central London, and fines for not paying the charge encouraged drivers to be compliant, said TFL.

But in the past five years there has been a 12% increase in the number of motorists being issued with Congestion Charge PCNs. The rise from around 1.3 million in 2011/12 to around 1.5 million in 2016/17 was a clear indicator that the effectiveness of the current PCN fine had reduced over time.

Later this year, and subject to the required Secretary of State review, TFL is also proposing to increase PCNs for offences which take place on their road network.

More than a third of all London’s traffic uses TFL’s road network (often referred to as red routes), and vehicles that block roads, drive in bus lanes, park incorrectly or make banned turns not only caused inconvenience to road users, but created hazards, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists, according to TFL.

By keeping the main routes clear, road danger, congestion, vehicle emissions and delays to bus passengers were reduced, ensuring that London remained an efficient, well-functioning global city.

TFL said it had also made it easier to pay the charge with the new official TFL Congestion Charge app for mobile phone users.

It allows the public to pay the Congestion Charge and T-Charge much quicker than by phone or online, while also giving the option to save vehicles and payment cards to their app and see if a postcode is in the Congestion Charge zone.

Paul Cowperthwaite, TFL’s General Manager for Road User Charging, said: ‘The new PCN level will help improve compliance and also encourage people to consider cheaper and more active alternative forms of travel.’