Drivers face having to stay out of major UK city over unwelcome new charge

Drivers face having to stay out of major UK city over unwelcome new chargeDrivers face having to stop driving in a major UK city owing to Vehicle Excise Duty changes from the Labour Party

government, it has been warned.MotoringChristian Abbott Audience Writer15:45, 03 Jun 2025Drivers face having to stay out of major UK city over unwelcome new charge Congestion Charge hikes

and car taxes could push drivers to stop using London roads, it is feared. Drivers face having to stop driving in a major UK city owing to Vehicle Excise Duty changes from the Labour Party

government, it has been warned.

The UK boss of Swedish electric vehicle manufacturer Polestar stated that the new plan to increase the congestion fee from £15 to £18 comes at a "really bad time".

‌ Matt Galvin, UK managing director of Polestar, told City AM that the additional charge for electric vehicle users had "slipped under the radar" but comes at a "really bad time" for the

industry.

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"It's one of the things where we've got to get the balance right between carrots and sticks," Galvin said. Speaking to GB News, Galvin stated: "While we are pleased to see that the Mayor of

London is pushing to reduce inner city emissions, to truly accelerate electric vehicle adoption, all EVs should be exempt from these charges, and parking discounts in central London must

return."

Article continues below "The biggest challenge we have is around the retail consumer and being able to attract them to consider electric cars for the first time," he said.

He told GB News: "The right mix of penalties for polluting vehicles and perks for EVs will fast-track progress towards 2035 net zero targets, clean up London's air, and propel the city to

the forefront of green transport globally."

"Add that together with little things like Congestion Charge zones, and public charging is still very expensive," he said.

Article continues below A TfL spokesperson said: "The Congestion Charge has been in place since its introduction in 2003 to manage traffic and congestion in the central one per cent of

London during the busiest times of day."

The spokesperson emphasised that "Central London is one of the best-connected places in the world with high-quality sustainable transport options."