London Congestion Charge

[Damer]

Apologies if this has been posted before. Is my CT200h entitled for any discount from the London Congestion Charge? It is likely that Daughter will be going to University there next year, and we were just talking about taking all her stuff down there, and it got us thinking.

Thanks

 

[Britprius]

I think you will find if you register your car with TFL for a fee of again I think £10 your car is exempt from the congestion charge. This is based on information from when I had a Prius.

John. 

[Damer]

10 minutes ago, Britprius said:

I think you will find if you register your car with TFL for a fee of again I think £10 your car is exempt from the congestion charge. This is based on information from when I had a Prius.

John. 

Thank you. She won't start until October but as I say we were just talking about it.

 

[wharfhouse]

Which vehicles have to pay the Congestion Charge, and which are exempt?

If you drive a conventional petrol or diesel car, or a non-plug-in hybrid (including mild hybrids), you will have to pay the Congestion Charge if you drive into central London during its hours of operation.

All alternatively-fuelled vehicles used to be exempt from the Congestion Charge but, in December 2018, TfL announced that these exemptions were to be phased out. Since 8 April 2019, only vehicles capable of achieving zero-emissions driving - such as plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars - have been exempt from the Congestion Charge.

To avoid the congestion charge, a plug-in hybrid must be capable of travelling for at least 20 miles on electric power alone and must have official CO2 emissions of under 75g/km. If you own and electric car or plug-in hybrid that is exempt from the congestion charge you need to register it with TFL before driving into the zone or you will still be fined.

[wharfhouse]

However you will currently be exempt from the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) - see Ultra Low Emission Zone - Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk) You can put your number plate in Check your vehicle - Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk) to double check. But as above you will have to pay the Congestion Charge - Congestion Charge (Official) - Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk)

[Britprius]

While I cannot categorically state the ct200h is exempt I have checked my GS450H (2007), and according to the TFL website it is exempt from the charge.

John.

 

[wharfhouse]

Just now, Britprius said:

While I cannot categorically state the ct200h is exempt I have checked my GS450H (2007), and according to the TFL website it is exempt from the charge.

John.

 

John, what checker were you using - I travel into London in my IS 300h and found I had to pay the Congestion Charge but not the ULEZ charge.

[Britprius]

Phil did you register your car with TFL?

John.

[wharfhouse]

12 minutes ago, Britprius said:

Phil did you register your car with TFL?

John.

No I haven't as there is nothing that I can claim exemption for. The IS 300h does not now meet the requirements to be exempt from the Congestion Charge - it used to but not anymore. On a car basis, since the 8th April 2019 the only exemptions are now: Vehicles that meet Euro 6 standards (petrol and diesel), that emit no more than 75g/km of CO2 AND have a minimum 20 mile zero emission capable range will qualify for the 100% cleaner vehicle discount. So that rules out any non-PHEVs such all Lexus "self-charging" hybrids.

TFL are tightening it further from 25 October 2021 - the cleaner vehicle discount will change so that only Battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are eligible. Then from 25 December 2025, the cleaner vehicle discount will be discontinued. From this date, all vehicle owners, unless in receipt of another discount or exemption, will need to pay to enter the Congestion Charge zone during charging hours.

So the Congestion Charge will eventually be just that - nothing to do with emissions, purely a tax to drive any car in London (unless you meet one of the other exemptions such as Blue Badge and pay the £10 registration fee).

Discounts and exemptions - Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk)

[Britprius]

Phil. Your mention of the "Blue badge" could be the reason my car comes up as exempt as I am a badge holder, and declared this with my Prius, but I did not entre that detail for my GSH. The badge also entitles free M6 toll "with registration" , and also the Severn bridge crossings in south Whales when they were toll charged. This toll has now been removed.

John.

[wharfhouse]

Just now, Britprius said:

Phil. Your mention of the "Blue badge" could be the reason my car comes up as exempt as I am a badge holder, and declared this with my Prius, but I did not entre that detail for my GSH. The badge also entitles free M6 toll "with registration" , and also the Severn bridge crossings in south Whales when they were toll charged. This toll has now been removed.

John.

Hi John

Yes I would think the blue badge is the reason in that case - I guess the details are held against the individual for any car registered to them that is driven in London. I looked into exemptions in some detail when I got the IS 300h as I drive into London every so often and so when you mentioned about being exempt I wondered if I had missed anything - unfortunately not by the look of it. Probably won't be doing much more driving into London though fortunately. 

[AlwaysEddie]

Hello gentlemen,

As far as I am concerned the ct200h has not been exempt from congestion charge since 2017.

This was also only true if you had bought a ct200h before 2013, all models after that were not exempt at all.

As user Wharfhouse referenced the rules have and will change progressively as more drivers move to electric cars, this is expected as otherwise it would defeat the purpose of enforcing the congestion charge (inevitability of too many electric cars in central london causing congestion). Eventually (by 2025 again as Wharfhouse referrenced), everyone will have to pay the CC unless you have another exemption (such as being a blue badge holder).