US diplomats have racked up more than £14m in outstanding congestion charge debt in the last two decades, new data shows.

Transport for London (TfL) revealed on Monday it was owed £14.6m from the American Embassy, which pipped Japan’s £10m, says CityAM.

“We and the UK government are clear that the Congestion Charge is a charge for a service and not a tax. This means that diplomats are not exempt from paying it,” TfL said in a statement.

“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.”

In total, diplomats owed over £143.53m in congestion charge payments since it was introduced in 2023, with India (£8.6m) Nigeria (£8.4m) and China (£7.9m) making up 3rd, 4th and 5th place. Russian diplomats racked up a bill of close to £6m.

Diplomats argue the congestion charge is a tax, making them exempt from paying it under the Vienna Convention, however a TfL statement clearly states that this is not the case:

“We and the UK Government are clear that the Congestion Charge is a charge for a service and not a tax. This means that diplomats are not exempt from paying it. 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.“

The US and Japan have long been the worst offenders, but other countries, including Poland, Germany, and Kenya, also place highly on the charts.

According to the latest figures, Togo diplomats had the cleanest record, owing just £40.

(Pic – Yay Images)