Sadiq Khan’s recent announcement to overhaul London’s Congestion Charge scheme has been met with widespread criticism from motoring experts and opposition voices alike, highlighting the increasingly burdensome efforts to justify yet another tax hike on drivers. Starting in early 2026, the daily congestion fee will rise from £15 to £18, with electric vehicles (EVs) no longer enjoying full exemption, their discounts slashed from 100% to a mere 25% for cars and 50% for vans and lorries. This move signals a clear shift away from the initial incentives designed to promote cleaner transport, instead penalising motorists who have made the switch to electric amidst government claims of environmental progress.
Transport for London (TfL) suggests that EVs could comprise nearly 20% of all vehicles in the congestion zone by year’s end. Authorities warn that without these changes, an extra 2,200 vehicles might flood the zone on an average weekday, worsening congestion and undermining the very efforts to improve urban mobility. Yet, rather than tackling these pressing issues, Mayor Khan’s government is punishing the very innovation that was supposed to ease London’s traffic woes, an approach that only fuels frustration among hard-working drivers.
Despite Khan’s claims that the adjustments are necessary to keep the city moving and support economic activity, this policy shift is yet another example of Labour’s reluctance to support personal mobility. Critics argue that the move is short-sighted and counterproductive, especially at a time when the government is pushing for electric vehicle adoption as the future of transport. Industry experts, including motoring organisations, warn that penalising EV owners risks slowing the transition to cleaner cars just when it needs to be accelerated.
Leading voices from the motoring community have condemned these changes. Edmund King, president of the AA, described the new measures as a “backward step” that could worsen London's air quality, arguing that many drivers are still hesitant or unable to fully switch to electric vehicles. Similarly, EV advocates have expressed concern over the mixed messaging, treating EVs as a source of revenue rather than the clean solution they are meant to be. Instead of incentivising greener transport, the government appears determined to squeeze drivers with increased charges and phased reductions in discounts set to drop as low as 12.5% by 2030, a move that will further discourage electric vehicle ownership.
These misguided policy adjustments come amid whispers of a new pay-as-you-drive tax, potentially slated for introduction in the Chancellor’s upcoming budget, which would hit EV owners further. Such proposals reveal an ongoing stance of penalising motorists under the guise of environmental progress, a far cry from the commitment to fairer, more sustainable transportation that the public was promised.
Overall, these schemes underscore a government and local authority more interested in revenue generation than genuine improvements in urban transport. Instead of fostering innovations that could truly reduce pollution and ease congestion, they are imposing restrictions that threaten to stifle progress and penalise the very drivers willing to embrace change. For any UK government claiming to promote greener futures, these policies reflect a troubling prioritisation of revenue over practicality, a stance deeply unpopular among a public increasingly disillusioned with heavy-handed, ineffective measures.
Source: Noah Wire Services