Diplomatic Debt Crisis: US and Chinese Embassies Lead £164 Million Congestion Charge Scandal
While ordinary Londoners grumble about the occasional congestion charge fine, some of the capital's most powerful diplomatic missions have been ignoring these fees on an industrial scale. According to the latest Transport for London data, embassies across London have racked up a staggering £164,000,000 in unpaid congestion charges since the scheme began in 2003. This colossal sum equates to more than 900,000 unpaid £180 penalty charge notices, revealing a systemic issue of non-compliance among diplomatic staff.
Worst Offenders: US and Chinese Embassies
The data reveals that the United States Embassy and the Chinese Embassy are the most significant contributors to this mounting debt. Transport for London records show that these missions have purchased only a handful of daily congestion charges for their staff, despite their vehicles regularly entering the charging zone.
The US Embassy owes TfL more than £15,000,000 in unpaid congestion charge debt accumulated from 2003 to September 30, 2025. Shockingly, embassy officials only bought two daily charges in 2025 and none in 2024. Between June 30 and September 30, 2025 alone, they accrued an additional £221,040 in new charges.
The Chinese Embassy follows closely with debts totalling £11,489,780. Their compliance record is equally poor, having purchased just one daily charge in 2025 and only six in 2024. In the same three-month period from June to September 2025, they accumulated over £720,000 in new fines.
Political Outrage and Demands for Action
The revelation has sparked condemnation from politicians across the spectrum. Green Party peer Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, a long-time campaigner on this issue, delivered a blunt assessment: 'The bastards should pay their bill. And [they should] be clamped every time they stop anywhere until they do pay.'
London MP John McDonnell echoed this sentiment, stating: 'This is a staggering amount of money and the US Embassy should simply pay up. The Embassy should pay its dues like everybody else.'
The timing of the data release is particularly sensitive, coinciding with Prime Minister Keir Starmer's official visit to China. Liberal Democrat MP Bobby Dean commented: 'The Prime Minister has gone to Beijing with a begging bowl hoping to get a bumper trade deal with China, but he can't even get them to pay the Congestion Charge. This kind of non-compliance is frankly an insult.'
Widespread Diplomatic Non-Compliance
The problem extends far beyond just two embassies. As of September 30, 2025, 146 embassies and high commissions owed money to Transport for London for congestion charges.
Other significant debtors include:
- The Embassy of Japan: nearly £11,000,000
- The Office of the High Commissioner for India: £10,070,585
At the lower end of the scale, the Indonesian embassy owed just £90, while the Togo High Commission's debt stood at £120.
Not All Embassies Are Equal
The data reveals that some diplomatic missions do comply with the congestion charge requirements. The Saudi Arabian Embassy has purchased more than 47,000 daily charges since 2017, while the embassies of Qatar and Egypt have both bought over 30,000.
This disparity highlights that compliance is possible, making the non-payment by other missions even more glaring.
Calls for Stronger Enforcement
Leading campaigner Lord Toby Harris suggested that TfL should take more direct action: 'Diplomatic status should not be an excuse to break local laws and regulations. Perhaps TfL should clamp or impound offending vehicles when the vehicles are parked outside embassy grounds.'
London Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy emphasised the principle of equality before the law: 'Diplomacy doesn't mean you get to dodge rules that apply to everyone else. If the average Londoner refused to pay, they would face fines and even prosecution.'
Understanding the Congestion Charge
The London Congestion Charge is a fee designed to reduce traffic in central London, covering an area from Kings Cross to Vauxhall and Paddington to Whitechapel. The standard charge is £18 per day if paid in advance or on the day of travel, rising to £21 if paid by midnight of the third day after travel.
Failure to pay results in a £180 penalty charge notice, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days. Despite clear rules, many diplomatic missions have systematically avoided these payments for years.
Official Response and Ongoing Pursuit
A TfL spokesperson stated unequivocally: 'Foreign diplomats and consular staff are not exempt from paying the Congestion Charge. We continue to pursue all unpaid Congestion Charges and related penalty charge notices.'
The transport authority maintains that diplomatic immunity does not extend to congestion charge payments, though enforcement against foreign missions remains challenging.
This diplomatic debt crisis raises fundamental questions about fairness, enforcement, and international relations in London. As ordinary citizens face strict penalties for non-payment, the mounting millions owed by diplomatic missions represent both a financial loss for London's transport system and a symbolic challenge to the principle that all should contribute equally to the city's infrastructure.
