How is the London congestion charge administered?
I have a rental car and I'm not sure whether I drove through the zone over the last few days. How can I know whether I'm obligated to pay the charge, and if I am but have not done so, then what will happen?
Best Answer
Have the cameras recorded your plate?
If you've driven into the Congestion Charging zone there's no way to find out if your vehicle's number plate was recorded or not, other than wait to see if you get a letter or fine through the post.
https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/driving-costs/congestion-charge
If you are unsure, I would suggest paying the charge for the days you might have driven into the zone - given you are referring to the weekend, that means you might have until tonight (Wednesday) UK time to pay the charge without penalty. The alternative is a penalty charge significantly in excess.
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How does the London Congestion Charge work?
How does it work? The Congestion Charge is an \xa311.50 daily tariff and payment enables motorists to drive around, leave and re-enter the charging zone as many times as required in one day. There are no barriers or tollbooths; instead drivers are paying to register their Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) on a database.How do I know if I drove into the congestion charge zone?
Can I check if I entered the Congestion Charge zone? You can check the Congestion Charge zone on the TFL website to find out exactly which areas of London are included in the zone and whether you've driven in them, in which case you'll need to pay.Who sets the Congestion Charge?
Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for the charge which has been operated by IBM since 2009. During the first ten years since the introduction of the scheme, gross revenue reached about \xa32.6 billion up to the end of December 2013.Where does the Congestion Charge start and finish?
It covers approximately the area from Kings Cross in the north to Vauxhall in the south, and Paddington in the west to Whitechapel in the east. All roads around the perimeter of the zone are monitored by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. There is an interactive map of the Congestion Charge zone.More answers regarding how is the London congestion charge administered?
Answer 2
This map shows the Congestion Charge zone.
If you have driven inside the zone the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system (ANPR) in force will most likely have identified the car you were driving.
The main page for TfL London's Congestion Charge can advise you on how to pay the charge.
These are the rules for when to pay:
1.11 Paying the Charge - payment card
1.11.1 You can purchase a CC Charge at any time during the 64 Working Days immediately before the Charging Day concerned and until midnight on the third charging day after the date of travel into the zone.
If you do not pay, you will be issued a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). Since you rented the car this notice will be addressed to the rental company which, in all likelihood, will subsequently pass the charge onto you.
Answer 3
If you have a look at the charging zone map you might be able to rule it out if you were nowhere near. If you were using a satnav, it should have warned you that you were approaching a toll road.
Please be aware that there is also a much wider Ultra Low Emission Zone that operates 24-7 in London. If you were driving a newish rental car that should not be a worry, but if the car is diesel powered it must be the latest Euro emissions standard.
If you decide or need to pay, be careful to pay on the genuine Transport for London website. It can happen that an internet search will rank a third-party site higher. It's not so much that they won't pay it (that's fraud), but they will make a surcharge for the service. It is just as easy for you to pay it directly.
There are other toll roads that have an automatic system too, such as the M25 Dartford bridge/tunnel crossing the River Thames.
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