The 17 per cent increase in the London Congestion Charge for companies on the fleet scheme, announced by Transport for London (TfL) on 28 May is an unfair tax on businesses which have no option other than to use the city’s roads and is higher than the increase for casual users, according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

Natalie Chapman, FTA’s Head of Policy for London, said, “Commercial vehicles should be exempt from the Congestion Charge. But not only are they forced to pay to use the road network in Central London, they have now been unfairly clobbered with a bigger rise than casual users of the scheme.”

FTA supports the aim of the Congestion Charge in deterring discretionary or non-essential journeys where the individual has the option to choose an alternative time or mode of travel to reduce congestion, CO₂ emissions and improve air quality. But it is not feasible to deliver goods on public transport, nor are alternative modes practical for the door-to-door deliveries that central London requires.

Additionally, there are no charge-free breaks in the daytime to encourage deliveries to be made outside of rush hour. Prior to the Congestion Charge starting at 07.00 Monday to Friday, the movements of heavy goods vehicles are restricted by the London Lorry Control Scheme (LLCS) – also known as the ‘London Lorry Ban’. The LLCS then starts again at 21.00, leaving only three non-restricted hours a day in central London from 18.00 to 21.00 and only Saturday mornings at weekends.