Report: Ghana High Commission Owes £4.9m in London Congestion Charge Payments

The Ghana High Commission in London is among the top debtors of the British capital’s Congestion Charge scheme.

According to documents available, Ghana ranks 8th on the list of diplomatic debtors, with an accumulated debt close to five million pounds.

A report by Ianvisits.com in January 2024 revealed that the total outstanding congestion charge payments owed by overseas embassies based in London had reached £143 million as of September 2023.

The charge, administered by Transport for London (TfL) under the Mayor of London’s office, is a £15 daily fee for driving within the Congestion Charge zone from 7:00-18:00 on weekdays and 12:00-18:00 on weekends and bank holidays.

Many embassies, including Ghana’s, argue that the congestion charge is a tax, and they are exempt from paying domestic taxes under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

However, TfL maintains that the charge is a fee, not a tax, and continues to list outstanding debts on its website, updated every six months.

TfL cannot directly sue diplomatic missions to recover the fees; only the central government can initiate such proceedings. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office writes to embassies and international organizations with large debts annually to encourage payment.

Despite these efforts, many embassies have ignored compliance letters since the congestion charge was introduced in February 2003.