U.S. Embassy Racks Up $19 Million In London Traffic Fees And Won’t Pay

Since 2003, anyone wanting to drive through the most congested parts of London during peak hours has had to pay a fee for the privilege, known as the congestion charge. According to Transport For London (TfL), it’s been an unmitigated success, with traffic congestion reduced by 30 percent and the use of public transport, walking, and cycling all growing.

However, if you’re caught within the congestion charge zone without paying the £15 ($19) charge, you could be slapped with a fine of up to £240 ($305) and possible legal action. That is, unless you’re working for any of the 162 embassies that TfL has just named and shamed.

Read: London’s Expanded ULEZ Zone Virtually Halved Number Of Dirty Cars, Still Earned Millions In Fines

The American Embassy tops the rankings, with an outstanding debt of £14,645,025 ($18,670,000). It’s closely followed by the Embassy of Japan, with £10,073,988 ($12,840,000), and the Indian High Commission, with £8,551,835 ($10,900,000).

TfL released a list detailing the numerous embassies that have “refused” to pay the congestion charge, many of them racking up pounds over the entire 20 years since the charge was introduced. It says that a “stubborn minority” doesn’t pay. The total bill of that 162-strong minority is £143,527,113 ($183,000,000).

But the U.S. Embassy doesn’t believe they’re under any obligation to pay up. According to report by the BBC, a spokesperson for the embassy said: “In accordance with international law as reflected in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, our position is that the congestion charge is a tax from which diplomatic missions are exempt.” This stance is evidently shared by the other missions that were named.

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While diplomats and their missions are tax-exempt, Transport for London sees it differently. They argue that the London congestion charge is not a tax but a charge for a service and deem that diplomats are not exempt from coughing up.

According to the statement released, TfL will continue to pursue the matter and is pushing for the case of unpaid congestion charges to be taken up by the International Court of Justice.

Congestion Charging Embassy Outstanding Debt