Historic vehicles to escape London T-charge?

Latest consultation proposes exemption for 40-year-old-plus vehicles.
A 1959 Jaguar XK150 from London's Classic Car Club.
Image: Wisimonki

You may not realise this, but London Mayor Sadiq Khan has a plan to levy an additional Emissions Surcharge or ’T-charge’ (toxicity charge) on vehicles registered before 2005.

Unless owners of these aged vehicles reside within the Congestion Charge boundaries or fall into any of the established concession categories (Blue Badge holders, ultra low emissions vehicle, vehicle with 9+ seats, motor tricycles, roadside recovery vehicles and accredited breakdown vehicles), they will be liable to cough up £10 on top of the existing £11.50 Congestion Charge for a London excursion between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday. That will lift the daily price to a hefty £21.50.

In a refreshing example of community involvement, more than 15,000 people spoke up in the first round of T-charge consultations and came up with a suggestion that historic vehicles (defined as those at least 40 years old) should be exempt from the additional £10 levy. At this stage it looks like that this might be taken on board, so there you go: buy yourself an ancient motor.

There are other ways to future-proof yourself against the London T-charge. Here’s the RAC's simple 5 point guide.

– buy a post-2005 diesel car

– buy a post-1992 petrol car

– buy an electric car

– buy a hybrid or range extender

– park outside the congestion charge zone

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