The amount of unpaid Congestion Charge and penalty charge notices owed by embassies and diplomatic missions that evade paying the Congestion Charge is now more than £60 million, according to new figures obtained by Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group. Every single Londoner is owed more than £8 by non paying embassies and diplomatic missions.
Two months ago Transport for London admitted that the total unpaid bill had reached £58.1 million by the end of December 2011 (see page 14 of the enclosed report). With the unpaid bill rising by almost £1 million a month, the total bill has now broken through the £60 million figure.
Commenting on the escalating bill owed by embassies and diplomatic missions, Caroline Pidgeon said:
"Too many overseas embassies are insulting Londoners by evading a charge which everyone else - including the Queen - has to pay if they wish to drive in central London.
"Under Boris Johnson the total amount owed by the embassies and diplomatic missions has tripled and every Londoner is now owed eight pounds. Instead of making excuses the Mayor must take real action to tackle this huge loss of revenue and stop this evasion of the Congestion Charge.
“Back in December 2009 the London Assembly called on Boris Johnson to write to every head of state which had an embassy in London that didn't pay the Congestion Charge and told the Mayor to publish online the responses he received. Boris Johnson rejected this plan and has instead allowed the unpaid Congestion Charge bill to soar."
You can read more at London24 and on the Mayorwatch site.