Mayor of London confirms taxis to remain exempt from Congestion Charge post 2025

London’s Congestion Charge has long been a pivotal tool in the city's battle against traffic and pollution. Since its inception over two decades ago, the charge has sought to reduce congestion, improve air quality, and promote sustainable travel in the capital. However, the landscape of exemptions is changing, but the impact on taxis and some private hire vehicles is unlikely to be significant.

Mayor Sadiq Khan recently confirmed that the exemption for electric vehicles (EVs) under the Congestion Charge scheme will be scrapped by December 2025. This decision is part of a broader strategy to ensure the original goals of the charge—reducing congestion and improving journey times—remain effective.

The Mayor explained that the cleaner vehicle discount, introduced in 2018, was always intended to be a temporary measure, with a clear expiry date. As the number of EVs in London has surged, the Mayor argues that continuing this exemption would undermine the scheme’s core objectives.

Over the last few years, London has seen a remarkable increase in EV adoption, with more than 58% of taxis now electric and over 20,000 public charging points available across the city. Despite this progress, the Mayor’s office has decided that the growing presence of EVs requires a reevaluation of their place within the Congestion Charge framework.

From January 2026, drivers of electric vehicles will be forced to pay the charge, however, taxis and wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles look set to continue to benefit from the Congestion Charge exemption. Exemptions are also likely to be extended to emergency service vehicles and disabled drivers.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “When the current cleaner vehicle discount was announced in 2018, it was made clear that it would expire in December 2025, giving a seven-and-a-half-year notice period, by which point it was expected that EVs would have grown in number to such an extent that continuing to exempt them would undermine the objectives of the Congestion Charge."

Khan added: “When it was introduced, there were just over 20,000 vehicles registered at the cleaner vehicle discount. At the end of June 2024, that figure was more than 112,000 vehicles. With another 18 months until the discount expires, this number will continue to grow.

“Exemptions for emergency service vehicles, disabled people, and black cabs that are licensed with TfL Taxi and private hire will remain in place.“