US embassy refuses to pay £14.6m London congestion charge bill

The total outstanding fees and fines accumulated by diplomats from all embassies in London, between the initiation of the congestion charge in 2003 and the conclusion of last year, amount to £143.5 million. Recent disclosures reveal that the US embassy in London is accountable for £14.6 million in unpaid congestion charge fees.

Transport for London (TfL) has released a breakdown of the unpaid fees and fines amassed by various embassies in the capital. According to the data, the Japanese embassy holds the second-highest debt at £10.1 million, followed by India's high commission at £8.6 million.

At the bottom of the list is the embassy of the Republic of Togo, in central Africa, with a meager £40 bill.

TfL emphasized that the congestion charge is a fee for service, not a tax, underscoring that diplomats are not exempt from payment. While the majority of embassies comply with the charge, a persistent minority refuses to do so despite diplomatic appeals.

TfL affirmed its commitment to pursuing all outstanding congestion charge fees and related penalty charge notices. It intends to escalate the matter to the International Court of Justice for resolution.

The US embassy in London transitioned from Grosvenor Square to Nine Elms in January 2018. A spokesperson for the embassy reiterated their stance, citing the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which asserts diplomatic missions' exemption from taxes, including the congestion charge. They noted that this position is shared by numerous other diplomatic missions in London.

Posted on 1 June 2024