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The charge for driving in central London has now been raised to £15 a day (up from £11.50) and will be active seven days per week. Two groups, one called FairFuelUK (FFUK) and the other called Alliance of British Drivers (ABD) said the increase of the charge in June was taken with “no supportive evidence”. Both groups are planning to take legal action against the decision.

Transport for London (TfL) had previously decided to halt an increase in the Congestion Charge and the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

But due to the consequences of lockdown TFL which caused a fall in revenue, the organisation has decided to increase the charge.

However, when challenged about the increase, Transport for London said the rise was enforced by the Government as part of a bailout package.

Sadiq Khan said he had “no choice” but to accept the Government’s decision on the price increase as part of TFL’s bailout terms.

The organisation received a Government bail-out because of the financial difficulties caused by coronavirus.

The charge now covers vehicles that have not got low emission engines from 7am to 10pm at night.

It is now in effect seven days per week.

When the Congestion Charge first began it was only in effect from 7am to 6pm, and only active five days per week.

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Now FairFuelUK and the Alliance of British Drivers want to challenge thieincrease.

They claim the sudden 31 percent increase in the charge is unnecessary.

Paul Biggs, the director of the ABD, said: “Enough is enough.”

He added: “The financial ‘Khanage’ in London inflicted by the 30-percent C-Charge increase extended to seven days at a time of great economic hardship for many people, the country and our capital must be challenged.

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“The mayor is riding roughshod over every motorist, who has no choice but to drive.”

These feelings were echoed by Howard Cox, the founder of the FairFuelUK campaign.

He said Sadiq Khan had acted with “bigoted political deceit and is screwing drivers at every opportunity”.

He added: “Sadiq Khan only consults with his supportive stakeholders behind so-called exceptional circumstances to hit motorists unnecessarily and even harder in the pocket.

“He encourages us to drive during the COVID crisis, then with no supportive evidence to do so, he plucks a number, out of nowhere, to massively hike the Congestion Charge.

“And without any proof, he also increases the charging period to cover weekends, plus extending his additional cash grab through to 10pm every day.

“This modern-day Dick Turpin, a debt-ridden anti-driver political opportunist, has divided the capital with his recurrent‘pay to congest and polluting policies.

“He then blames the government for doing all of this.

“Surely, he cannot sink any lower with such bigoted political deceit?

“In this time of worry for all of us, why did the mayor not consider taxing river or air traffic, construction machinery or other sources of pollution?

“Surely these are more competent and fairer ways to raise the cash to fill his fiscal black hole without screwing drivers at every opportunity.”

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