Coronavirus: London congestion charge brought back with price rise

Sign Image copyright TfL
Image caption The congestion charge was suspended on March 23 as the country went into lockdown

The congestion charge for people driving into central London will be reintroduced on Monday under the terms of a £1.6bn government bailout.

It follows a deal in which Transport for London (TfL) secured emergency funding to keep Tube and bus services going until September.

From 22 June, the congestion charge will also rise from £11.50 to £15.

Changes will happen "as soon as practicable", the Department for Transport said.

TfL said the congestion charge would be reinstated in London on Monday and would run between 07:00 and 22:00, seven days a week.

A system of reimbursement for NHS workers in place before the congestion charge was suspended on 23 March will be extended to care home workers.

Mayor of London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the measures were designed to avoid a build up of traffic after the government urged people returning to work to avoid public transport.

The low emission zone and ultra low emission zone - imposing levies on high-polluting vehicles - also comes back into operation on Monday.

Image copyright EPA
Image caption Coronavirus has had a significant impact on the London Underground

Under the new conditions children will no longer have free travel across London and restrictions on travel passes for people with a disability or over the age of 60 travelling will also be imposed during peak hours.

Fares on buses - scrapped to help protect drivers from Covid-19 - will also be reintroduced.

Image copyright PA Media
Image caption In 2019-20 Transport for London earned £4.9bn from fares -making up 47% of the transport authority's income

Mr Khan said the deal was necessary because coronavirus had had a "catastrophic impact on TfL's finances".

"I want to be completely honest and upfront with Londoners," Mr Khan said.

"This is not the deal I wanted.

"But it was the only deal the government put on the table and I had no choice but to accept it to keep the Tubes and buses running."

TfL had said it would have been forced to issue a Section 114 notice - the equivalent of a public body going bust - if no deal had been reached by the end of Thursday.