A publication by the Transport for London (TfL) has revealed that High Commissions and Embassies owe a total of £143,527,113 as a congestion charge to the UK government.
What is it?
A £15 is a daily charge as a Congestion Charge if you drive within the Congestion Charge zone 7:00-18:00 (Monday-Friday) and 12:00-18:00 Saturday to Sunday and bank holidays. The only exceptions are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day bank holidays (inclusive).
“The majority of embassies in London do pay the charge, but there remains a minority who refuse to do so, despite our representations through diplomatic channels.”
TfL says
TfL publications show that some High Commissions and Embassies have been owing since 2003, running into millions of Pounds Sterling.
The Embassy of the United States, the Embassy of Japan, the High Commission of India, the High Commission of Nigeria, and the Embassy of China in London are the five embassies and commissions in London that have failed to clear their congestion charge in the years under review.
The charge was first introduced on February 17, 2003, and the end of 2023 (December 31, 2023), some of embassies and high commission were owing. The Embassy of the Republic of Togo is the least with only £40.
INFOMEDIANG highlights the 30 congestion charge debtors to the UK Government:
- American embassy: £14,645,025
- Embassy of Japan: £10,073,988
- Office of the High Commissioner for India: £8,551,835
- High Commission for Nigeria: £8,395,055
- Embassy of China: £7,936,890
- Embassy of the Russian Federation: £5,998,095
- Embassy of Poland: £5,267,770
- High Commission of Ghana: £5,001,105
- Embassy of Kazakhstan: £4,652,755
- Embassy of Germany: £4,637,610
- Embassy of Sudan: £3,941,600
- Kenya High Commission: £3,260,940
- High Commission for Pakistan: £3,129,060
- Embassy of Korea: £2,636,320
- Embassy of France: £2,548,500
- Embassy of Cuba: £2,466,240
- High Commission for Tanzania: £2,295,470
- Embassy of Spain: £2,194,440
- Embassy of Algeria: £2,191,230
- High Commission for South Africa: £1,975,280
- Sierra Leone High Commission: £1,924,395
- Embassy of Romania: £1,868,260
- Embassy of Ukraine: £1,673,830
- Embassy of Greece: £1,665,450
- Turkish embassy: £1,598,100
- Cyprus High Commission: £1,435,080
- The embassy of Hungary: £1,374,870
- Zambian High Commission: £1,146,140
- Embassy of Yemen: £1,060,680
- Botswana High Commission: £959,160
According to the Transport for London, the Congestion Charge is a charge for a service and not a tax, saying diplomats are not exempt from paying it.
Devising ways to enforce payment, TfL vowed that failure to clear outstanding charges by the affected embassies and high commission would be reported to the International Court of Justice (ICC).