Avoid unofficial Congestion Charge websites

20th February 2014

Transport for London is warning operators to take extra care when paying the London Congestion Charge online.

It follows an Adverting Standards Agency ruling that one site – paylondoncongestion.co.uk – was “likely to lead consumers to believe the web page was an official method of paying the charge and was affiliated with TfL.”  The ASA upheld three complaints relating to the site misrepresenting a link with TfL and not making clear the fees it levied.

The case relates to one of a number of websites that offer to pay the Congestion Charge on behalf of drivers and operators.  They pay search engines to ensure they are the top items when people use terms like 'Pay Congestion Charge'.  However they charge a premium – up to £6 on top of the normal fee.  They justify their inflated prices by claiming to offer extra services such as email confirmation and dedicated helpline, but TfL offers these services for free.

There have also been cases where unofficial sites have failed to pay the Congestion Charge at all, resulting in a Penalty Charge Notice for the driver.

“We welcome the ASA’s ruling and want to raise awareness of these unofficial Congestion Charge payment sites,” TfL's Garrett Emmerson said.  “Customers should take care when paying the Charge online and only use the official site, www.tfl.gov.uk/cc, which is quick, easy and avoids any unnecessary charges.”