Breaking What special relationship? America’s London Embassy owes TfL £14.6million in congestion charges over the past 20 years – with India and China among worst offenders while Togo owes just £40 EnglishHeadline

US diplomats in London owe practically £15million in congestion cost debt – with Japan and India the following two worst offenders, transport bosses have revealed.

Transport for London (TfL) stated diplomats owe £145.5million in congestion cost funds for the reason that scheme was launched simply over twenty years in the past in 2003.

The American embassy is on the prime of the record with £14.64million in debt – forward of Japan at £10.07million, India at £8.55million and Nigeria at £8.40million.

Others embody China at £7.93million, Russia at £6.00million, Poland at £5.27million, Ghana at £5.00million, Kazakhstan at £4.65million and Germany at £4.64million.

Diplomats declare they need to be exempt as a result of they see the cost as a tax, which might subsequently imply they’d not need to pay beneath the Vienna Conference.

However TfL has insisted that the UK Authorities agrees with it that the scheme is a ‘cost for a service and never a tax’ and subsequently diplomats are ‘not exempt’.

The embassy for the USA of America within the 9 Elms space of London (file image)

Japan’s embassy in London  is in second place with a congestion cost debt of £10million

Outdoors of the highest ten, different nations embody Sudan at £3.94million, Kenya at £3.26million, Pakistan at £3.13million and South Korea at £2.64million.

France’s debt is £2.55million, Cuba’s is £2.47million, Tanzania £2.30million, Spain £2.19million, Algeria £2.19million and South Africa £1.98million.

The cleanest report belongs to Togo which owes simply £40 – adopted by Dominica and Finland, each at £120. Turkmenistan, Panama, Macedonia and Monaco are all at £130.

In an announcement accompanying the info,  TfL stated: ‘We and the UK Authorities are clear that the Congestion Cost is a cost for a service and never a tax. Which means that diplomats should not exempt from paying it.

‘Nearly all of embassies in London do pay the cost, however there stays a cussed minority who refuse to take action, regardless of our representations by way of diplomatic channels.

‘We are going to proceed to pursue all unpaid Congestion Cost charges and associated penalty cost notices and are pushing for the matter to be taken up on the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice.’

After being contacted by MailOnline, a TfL spokeswoman added: ‘We’re clear that overseas diplomats and consular workers should not exempt from paying the Congestion Cost.

‘We proceed to pursue all unpaid Congestion Expenses and associated penalty cost notices.’

MailOnline additionally understands that TfL needs assist from the UK Authorities to get better excellent congestion cost debt and associated penalty cost discover funds – and it is a matter that has been raised with officers on the International and Commonwealth Workplace.

A Transport for London map exhibits the zone for the Congestion Cost which started in 2003

As well as, the Extremely Low Emission Zone (Ulez) – expanded by Mayor Sadiq Khan in August final 12 months – is levied on a unique foundation to the congestion cost.

Embassies and Excessive Commissions are likely to lease autos when visiting different nations, which suggests nearly all autos would meet the Ulez requirements.

Ministers revealed in Parliament final September that overseas diplomats in London owe practically £150 million in congestion cost debt, however the full breakdown by nation has now emerged.

Figures given to MPs on the similar time confirmed that 15 severe and important offences, together with sexual assault and drunk-driving, have been allegedly dedicated by diplomats or these entitled to diplomatic immunity between 2019-2022.

Junior overseas minister David Rutley stated on the time: ‘We think about that there are not any authorized grounds to exempt diplomatic missions and worldwide organisations from the London congestion cost, which is corresponding to a parking payment or toll cost they’re required to pay.’

Diplomats owe £145.5million in congestion cost debt for the reason that scheme began, TfL stated

The congestion cost was introduced in by Mayor Ken Livingstone at £5 a day in February 2003.

It was then elevated to £8 in July 2005, £10 in January 2011, £11.50 in June 2014, and £15 in June 2020 – at which it stays at this time. 

TfL confronted a monetary disaster in the course of the pandemic when earnings plummeted because of a collapse in journey numbers because of successive lockdowns.

It receives a sequence of presidency bailouts with the latest funding deal of £250million agreed with the Division for Transport final December.

Over within the US, New York Metropolis goes to introduce a congestion cost from June 30 which is able to see drivers need to pay $15 each time they enter midtown Manhattan.

MailOnline has approached the International Workplace and the US embassy for remark.