GREEN MEANS GO CHANGES CONFIRMED TO
LONDON CONGESTION CHARGE
The Congestion Charge has been in place for over two decades, helping to manage traffic and congestion in central London. The Cleaner Vehicle Discount (CVD) was introduced in 2019 to run until 25 December 2025, but now the Mayor of London has decided to continue incentivising the switch to electric vehicles (EVs), so that greener drivers still pay less. The new system, with tiered discounts available via Auto Pay, means that: l The daily Congestion Charge will increase from £15 to £18 from 2 January 2026
l As part of the 1st phase from 2 January 2026, there will be a 50% discount for electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles registered for Auto Pay as well as a 25% discount for electric cars registered for Auto Pay
l As part of the 2nd phase from 4 March 2030, there will be a 25% discount for electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles registered for Auto Pay and a 12.5% discount for electric cars registered for Auto Pay
Since the CVD was introduced in 2019, the number of EVs registered has risen almost sixfold - from around 20,000 to more than 116,000 earlier this year – they will account for close to 20% of all vehicles in the Congestion Charg- ing Zone by the end of the year. l Alongside the new tiered system, the Residents’ Discount will change to incentivise longer term take-up of EVs, with those currently living in the area remaining unaffected. Those who are in receipt of the Residents’ Discount prior to 1 March 2027 will retain their 90% discount, regardless of vehicle
OXFORD CABBIES GIVEN MORE TIME TO SWITCH TO EVs
Cabbies in Oxford have been granted extra time to switch to EVs after they raised fears about the pressures facing the industry. Oxford City Council introduced a policy in 2019 to make all HCVs and PHVs meet the ultra-low emissions standards, and convert to EVs by January 2026, after it was extended by a year last February. COLTA asked for the policy to be postponed until after local govern- ment reorganisation happens in 2028. Representatives from the group stressed that they cared about the environment but said imposing the requirement for EVs
20
would make their lives harder during an already challenging time for their trade; including the Botley Road closure, the closure of nightclubs, and the introduction of Uber in Oxford last December. The council decided to approve the delay at a recent council licensing committee meeting. Speaking after the meeting, Sajad Khan, secretary of City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association, said: “The decision came as a massive relief to those drivers who have yet to switch to EVs. We have worked very
closely with the council, including councillors and officers.”
fuel type. For those newly applying for the Residents’ Discount after 1 March 2027, the 90% discount will only apply to EVs.
l There will be further support for low-income and disabled residents receiving certain benefits, so that they continue to
can apply for the
Residents’ Discount until March 2030 without their vehicle needing to be electric.
l There will also now be a new 100% discount for ‘back to base’ electric car club vehicles. This is for car club EVs that are hired from and returned to the same marked parking space within the zone. Sadiq Khan said: “Keeping London moving by reducing congestion is vital for our city and for our economy. While the congestion charge has been a huge success since its introduction, we must ensure it stays fit for purpose, and sticking to the status quo would see around 2,200 more vehicles using the congestion charging zone on an average weekday next year. “We must support Londoners and businesses to use more
sus-
tainable travel, so I’m pleased that substantial incentives will remain in place for Londoners who switch to cleaner vehicles, as we work to build a greener and better London for everyone.” l Register for a London Road User Charging account, sign up to TfL Auto Pay and add your vehicle if you have not already done so. Auto Pay is required for certain discounts, including the new CVD tiered system and the Residents’ Discount Register now:
tfl.gov.uk/auto-pay
DECEMBER 2025 PHTM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
