Do you pay the Congestion Charge in London or ULEZ between Christmas and New Year?

  • london
  • December 29, 2022
  • Comments Off on Do you pay the Congestion Charge in London or ULEZ between Christmas and New Year?
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Christmas is gone and New Year is on the way, and if you’re one of those people who is enjoying a Betwixtmas break from work you might want to think about taking a trip to London during your time off.

Whether it’s hitting the sales which began on Boxing Day, seeing the sights or even heading into town for a New Year celebration, many folks will have a reason to head into the capital in the coming days.

But if you decide to give public transport a miss and drive yourself in instead, will you still have to pay the Congestion Charge? And will ULEZ charges also apply?

Here’s what you need to know…

Do you pay the Congestion Charge in London between Christmas and New Year?

If you’re planning to take the car into the Congestion Charge Zone between Christmas and New Year, you will not have to pay the usual £15 for doing so.

The TFL website has confirmed that the Congestion Charge does not apply between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

In general, the zone operates between 7am – 6pm Monday to Friday and 12pm – 6pm on weekends – with vehicles facing a £15 charge for driving in the zone between these times.

Those exempt from the charge include motorbikes, emergency services and NHS vehicles, and those used by disabled people.

You can find a full list of exemptions and discounts here – and you can also use the TFL website to find out whether the Congestion Charge applies to the part of London you are driving to, as many areas, particularly those within the outer boroughs, are not included in the charge zone.

Do you pay the ULEZ charge in London between Christmas and New Year?

While the Congestion Charge may be lifted during this time the ULEZ charge, applied to vehicles that do not meet the standards of the capital’s Ultra Low Emission Zone – still stands on the lead up to the New Year.

The only day this does not apply is Christmas Day – otherwise, those vehicles which are subject to a charge will continue to pay the daily fee of £12.50 to drive within the zone in London.

Unlike the Congestion Charge this applies 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The zone currently covers roads within the North and South Circular Roads, although these roads themselves are not in the zone.

However, from August 2023 it will be expanding to cover all boroughs within London.

It applies to all cars, motorcycles, vans and specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) and minibuses (up to and including five tonnes), which do not meet ULEZ standards and are not exempt.

You can find out whether your vehicle is subject to a charge by entering your licence plate details at the TFL website.


MORE : Where is the Congestion Charge Zone? Map of areas affected by £15 fee


MORE : TfL has made nearly £100,000,000 in less than a year since expanding the ULEZ

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