T-Charge starts in London – and it could cost you £21.50 to drive in Town

The T-Charge starts in London on 23 October 2017, with pre-Euro 4 emissions vehicles subject to an additional £10 charge on top of the congestion charge.

We’ve all got used to the congestion charge in London, and many of us avoid it by taking the train to town and grabbing a taxi if a business meeting is a must.

Now, TfL (Transport for London) is about to impose an additional charge for driving in the congestion zone if you drive a vehicle which, roughly speaking, is more than 10 years old. And it starts on Monday 23 October 2017.

And it’s not a notional charge either – it’s an extra £10 on top of the now £11.50 London Congestion Charge – so you’ll pay £21.50 for the ‘pleasure’ of driving in Town.

Broadly speaking, just about anything with four wheels which isn’t Euro 4 emissions compliant will cop for the charge.

There aren’t many exceptions, although Taxis licensed by TfL don’t have to worry, residents pay £1 and motorised tricycles only have to be Euro 3 standard. Whoopee.

The T-Charge is applicable throughout the existing Congestion Charge Zone, and applies at the same times – Mon-Fri 7am to 6pm, with Bank Holiday a freebie, as is the period between Christmas and New Year.

If you want to check if your car is liable for the T-Charge, you can jump over to TfL’s T-Charge Checker page.

Or just forget about going in to London altogether.