TfL Congestion Charge Zone: Embassies owe more than £143m in unpaid charges since 2003
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Embassies from around the world owe Transport for London (TfL) more than £143 million in unpaid Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ) payments.
Covering central London, all drivers of petrol or diesel vehicles must pay a £15 charge to enter the CCZ during certain hours.
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Hide AdIntroduced in 2003 under the first London mayor, Ken Livingstone, it was implemented as a way of cutting traffic and air pollution in the city, with the fee steadily increasing over the years.
Many embassies however argue the charge is a tax, which they are exempt from paying under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
TfL disagrees, with a spokesperson telling LondonWorld the authority is “clear that foreign diplomats and consular staff are not exempt from paying the Congestion Charge”.
In June 2022, unpaid charges reached a total of more than £142m. As of June 30 2023, this had increased to £143,205,953.
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Hide AdMany of the embassies with the most debt remain the same as last year, with the United States on top with £14,644,215 owed. This is followed by Japan (£10m), India (£8.5m) and Nigeria (£8.4m).
TfL is reliant on government support to recover the outstanding penalty charge notice debt, with a spokesperson saying the authority has raised it with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
In an online document outlining the debt, TfL added it is “pushing for the matter to be taken up at the International Court of Justice”.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We are clear that foreign diplomats and consular staff are not exempt from paying the Congestion Charge.
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Hide Ad“We continue to pursue all unpaid Congestion Charges and related penalty charge notices.”
Congestion Charge Zone debt owed by embassies
American Embassy - £14,644,215
Embassy of Japan - £10,057,338
Office of the High Commissioner for India - £8,549,405
High Commission for the Federal Republic of Nigeria - £8,388,395
Embassy of the People`s Republic of China - £7,932,840
Embassy of the Russian Federation- £5,995,665
Embassy of the Republic of Poland- £5,266,960
High Commission of the Republic of Ghana - £4,993,725
Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan - £4,651,405
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany - £4,629,330
The Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan - £3,941,420
Kenya High Commission - £3,255,810
High Commission for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan - £3,117,450
Embassy of the Republic of Korea - £2,626,060
Embassy of France - £2,543,010
Embassy of the Republic of Cuba - £2,465,700
High Commission for the United Republic of Tanzania - £2,285,390
Embassy of Spain - £2,187,240
Embassy of Algeria - £2,179,440
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Hide AdHigh Commission for the Republic of South Africa - £1,975,280
Sierra Leone High Commission - £1,914,675
Embassy of Romania - £1,865,740
Embassy of Ukraine - £1,670,950
Embassy of Greece - £1,660,770
Turkish Embassy - £1,576,660
Cyprus High Commission - £1,419,870
Embassy of the Republic of Hungary - £1,374,240
High Commission for the Republic of Zambia - £1,146,050
Embassy of the Republic of Yemen - £1,055,100
Botswana High Commission - £954,300
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria - £919,910
High Commission of the Republic of Mozambique - £864,180
High Commission for the Republic of Malawi - £837,485
Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia - £822,550
Uganda High Commission - £811,640
High Commission for the Republic of Zimbabwe - £797,765
Embassy of the Republic of Côte d`Ivoire - £784,740
High Commission for the Republic of Cameroon - £759,840
Embassy of the Republic of Belarus - £733,285
High Commission for the Republic of Namibia - £726,550
Malta High Commission - £714,725
Embassy of the Slovak Republic - £691,720
Mauritius High Commission - £670,895
Embassy of Belgium - £666,870
High Commission for the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka - £652,470
Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco - £651,790
Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania - £650,505
Embassy of the Republic of Liberia - £627,150
Embassy of Austria - £626,020
Kingdom of Swaziland High Commission - £620,540
Embassy of the Islamic State of Afghanistan - £606,200
Embassy of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea - £557,690
High Commission of the Kingdom of Lesotho - £532,030
Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam - £518,460
Embassy of the Republic of Guinea - £501,250
Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo - £485,940
Embassy of the Czech Republic - £480,730
Embassy Of The Republic Of Iraq - £473,760
Jamaican High Commission - £473,020
Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan - £417,990
Royal Danish Embassy - £403,835
Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia - £384,290
Embassy of the Republic of Latvia - £346,190
High Commission for Antigua And Barbuda - £345,795
Embassy of Portugal - £325,240
Embassy of Luxembourg - £320,195
Tunisian Embassy - £294,820
Belize High Commission - £280,590
Embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea - £276,320
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Hide AdEmbassy Debt Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt - £243,820
Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - £243,590
Embassy of the Republic of Estonia - £218,420
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia - £211,210
High Commission of the Republic of Maldives - £203,120
High Commission for Guyana - £186,490
Embassy of the State of Eritrea - £185,350
High Commission for Seychelles - £169,935
Embassy of the Dominican Republic - £164,650
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines - £157,360
Kingdom of Eswatini High Commission - £155,810
Embassy of Tunisia - £151,950
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania - £143,270
Embassy of El Salvador - £129,805
High Commission for Saint Lucia - £127,460
Embassy of the Republic of Albania - £124,480
Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic - £120,680
The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova - £114,310
Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina - £99,760
The Gambia High Commission - £97,720
Embassy of the Republic of Senegal - £94,845
High Commission for Grenada - £80,030
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran - £79,700
Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman - £73,770
Embassy of Kosovo - £61,100
Embassy of the Republic of Gabon - £48,270
Embassy of the State of Qatar - £48,260
The Embassy of the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic - £48,180
Embassy of Tajikistan - £43,580
Embassy of Georgia - £34,680
Embassy of Guatemala - £32,280
High Commission for the People`s Republic of Bangladesh - £30,810
Libyan Embassy - £29,860
Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan - £19,040
Royal Thai Embassy - £18,430
Embassy of Honduras - £18,110
Embassy of Italy - £17,740
Benin Consulate - £17,730
Embassy of the United Arab Emirates - £17,680
Embassy of the Republic of Madagascar - £17,200
Embassy of Nicaragua - £16,790
Ambassade De La République Du Burundi - £14,660
Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan - £12,900
Embassy Debt Embassy of Brazil - £11,750
Embassy of the Republic of Angola - £10,090
Malaysian High Commission - £5,870
Embassy of the State of Kuwait - £5,810
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia - £5,690
High Commission of the Republic of Fiji - £4,620
Embassy of the Principality of Andorra - £4,040
Embassy of Mongolia - £4,000
Embassy of the Union of Myanmar - £3,900
Barbados High Commission - £3,770
Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic - £3,160
Embassy of the Azerbaijan Republic - £3,080
Embassy of Chile - £2,940
Embassy of Cambodia - £2,780
Canadian High Commission - £2,690
Papua New Guinea High Commission - £2,400
Embassy of Mexico - £2,160
Embassy of the Republic of Serbia - £2,030
Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda - £1,930
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia - £1,600
Embassy of Haiti - £1,560
Colombian Embassy - £1,530
Embassy of the Argentine Republic - £1,520
High Commission for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - £1,460
Embassy of Slovakia - £1,460
Embassy of Iceland - £1,320
Central African Republic - £970
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Hide AdHigh Commission for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago - £960
Embassy of Peru - £800
Australian High Commission - £760
Embassy of the State of Bahrain - £720
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia - £610
Tonga High Commission - £600
High Commission for Saint Christopher And Nevis - £520
Brunei Darussalam High Commission - £520
Embassy of Israel £370 Embassy of Paraguay - £320
The Royal Embassy of Cambodia - £250
Embassy of Costa Rica - £160
Royal Norwegian Embassy - £160
High Commission for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas - £160
Embassy of Turkmenistan - £130
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia - £130
Embassy of the Republic of Panama - £130
Embassy Debt The High Commission for the Commonwealth of Dominica - £120
Embassy of Finland - £120
Embassy of the Republic of Togo - £40
Total Embassy Debt - £143,205,953
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