A diplomatic row has broken out over millions of pounds in congestion charge fees that have been left unpaid by foreign embassies in London.
Transport for London (TfL) has threatened to take legal action against a “stubborn minority” of countries over more than £140m of outstanding debt racked up by official vehicles since 2003.
Dozens of countries are refusing to pay the congestion charge despite officials warning that diplomats are not exempt from the £15 daily levy to drive in the centre of the capital.
The American embassy owes the most of any country with over £14.6m in outstanding congestion charge debt, figures published in December show.
A TfL statement at the time said: “The majority of embassies in London do pay the charge, but there remains a stubborn minority who refuse to do so, despite our representations through diplomatic channels.”
It added that it was “pushing” for the matter to be taken up at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which rules on disputes between countries.
US officials consider the congestion charge to be a tax, as opposed to a service, and that its personnel are therefore exempt from paying it under international law.
But TfL has insisted the congestion charge must be paid by foreign officials based in London and keeps detailed records of how much each country owes. The total figure is currently £143,527,113.
It is understood that the Government also wants embassies to pay the charge and that there are no legal grounds for diplomats being exempt, however ministers appear to have so far declined to escalate the issue to the ICJ.
The ICJ is the principal court of the United Nations (UN) and it can only consider cases brought by the official government of a UN member state.
The US embassy in Vauxhall, London, is the country’s largest in western Europe and employs between 1,000 and 5,000 staff, according to official figures.
TfL’s data show Japan’s embassy owes the second most after the US with just over £10m outstanding. India has the third largest debt at £8.55m, followed by Nigeria at £8.39m.
China owes £7.9m in unpaid congestion charge fees for vehicles used by its embassy in Marylebone and Russia owes just under £6m vehicles associated with its Kensington embassy.
The unpaid debt also includes fines that are imposed if the congestion charge is not paid, which can be as much as £270 if the fee is not paid within 28 days.
The outstanding charges date back as far as 2003, when the levy to tackle vehicle congestion in central London was brought in by former mayor Ken Livingstone.
Drivers in London must pay the congestion charge between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday and between 12pm and 6pm Saturday to Sunday and on bank holidays.
A TfL spokesman said: “We are clear that 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 US embassy was approached for comment.
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