Evening traffic surge prompts calls to extend Congestion Charge hours

Calls to extend Congestion Charge hours intensified this week after campaigners said traffic entering central London rose sharply once the charge ended at 18:00.

The claim centres on traffic levels in the hour immediately after the charge ends on weekdays. Campaign group Clean Cities said vehicle entries into the zone rose sharply once the £18 daily fee no longer applied, arguing that the current 18:00 cut-off undermines efforts to manage congestion and air quality.

According to data compiled from Transport for London figures and freedom of information requests, there were 6,170 vehicle entries between 18:00 and 19:00 during a typical week, compared with 3,955 between 08:00 and 09:00. The group said this represented an increase of more than 50 per cent once charging hours ended.

Under the present system, drivers must pay to travel within the central London zone between 07:00 and 18:00 on weekdays and from 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays. The fee is £18 if paid on the day or in advance, rising to £21 if settled by midnight on the third day after travel. Purely battery-powered electric vehicles receive a 25 per cent discount through Auto Pay.

Pressure to revisit 2022 decision

Operating hours were shortened from 22:00 to 18:00 in February 2022. Clean Cities argues that the change has coincided with increased evening traffic and says reinstating later hours would better reflect current travel patterns.

Oliver Lord, UK head of Clean Cities, said central London became “the Wild West” after 18:00, with fewer controls in place and no financial disincentive for private car use.

TfL response

Transport for London said it had no plans to amend the operating hours. A spokesperson said decisions on the charging period had been based on evolving weekday travel trends and the need to support the evening economy, including shift workers and those transporting heavy goods.

Thomas Turell, a Conservative member of the London Assembly, opposed extending the charge, describing it as “a blunt instrument”. He said greater investment in infrastructure would do more to encourage cleaner vehicles than further levies on motorists.

The debate highlights a broader tension in the capital between economic activity in the West End and environmental targets aimed at reducing congestion and emissions.

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