US embassy declines to pay £14.6m London congestion charge, citing exemption from taxes
The US embassy in London is reported to owe £14.6m in unpaid congestion charge fees, according to figures released.
Transport for London (TfL) has published the amounts of unpaid fees and fines accumulated by all embassies in the capital.
Among the embassies, the Japanese embassy has the second highest debt at £10.1m, followed by India’s high commission at £8.6m.
At the opposite end of the scale, the embassy of the Republic of Togo has a bill of £40.
Overall, diplomats have racked up £143.5m in unpaid fees and fines since the introduction of the congestion charge in London in 2003 until the end of last year.
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TfL released a statement saying: “We and the UK government are clear that the congestion charge is a charge for a service and not a tax.
“This means that diplomats are not exempt from paying it.”
While most embassies in London do pay the charge, there are some who refuse to do so despite diplomatic representations.
TfL stated: “We will continue to pursue all unpaid congestion charge fees and related penalty charge notices, and are pushing for the matter to be taken up at the International Court of Justice.”
The US embassy in London relocated from Grosvenor Square to Nine Elms in January 2018.
A spokesperson for the US embassy stated: “In accordance with international law as reflected in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, our position is that the congestion charge is a tax from which diplomatic missions are exempt.
“Our long-standing position is shared by many other diplomatic missions in London.”
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In February 2020, then Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab issued a written ministerial statement revealing that officials have been pressuring “a number of diplomatic missions and international organisations” to pay outstanding amounts related to the congestion charge, parking fines, and business rates.
The congestion charge scheme includes a £15 daily fee for driving within Central London during specific hours on weekdays and weekends.
There are discounts and exemptions available for some individuals and vehicles, such as residents, taxis, and fully electric cars.
