Can I correct you on the "Even if just parked" comment.
That is actually quite misleading and something TFL have never properly
corrected. Sure, if you come into the zone and park then you would need to
pay. But if the car is parked all the time between 7am and 6.30pm then there
is NO charge. You are only charged if the vehicle is in motion in the zone
in the time. I am a resident and despite the only concession that I get a
90% discount (but having to pay for 5 days at a time which therefore
encourages me to use it more had I only wanted to use it 1 day, but that's
another story) , as long as the car is parked and not moving during the day
I don't have to pay. My local plumber tends to come in early and park up
where he will be working for the day, as long as he doesnt leave until 6.30
he's doesnt need to pay. They certainly dont come round and take notes of
all the cars that are stationery, but there are mobile cameras on vans that
photograph moving vehicles.





"Paul Terry" wrote in message
...
In message .com,
funkymonkey writes

Can someone please tell me how you actually pay for the congestion
charge? I will be visiting London soon and a friend came back from
there and says he got stung with a large fine for not paying the toll
(through his car hire company). He said he never encountered any
toll-booths or e-tag systems.

You have to pay either in advance or on the day that you travel (up to
midnight - but if you pay after 10pm there is a £2 surcharge). If you are
driving within the zone for several days, you will need to pay for each
day that the car is within the zone (even if just parked) - although note
that it operates only between 7.00a.m. and 6.30p.m., Monday to Friday (and
not on public holidays).

You can pay on the WWW (http://www.cclondon.com/), by phone, at any of the
shops, car-parks or petrol stations that display the Congestion Charge
Paypoint sign, or in various other ways listed at the above site.

There are no toll booths, tickets or tags - the number plates of all cars
in the congestion zone are photographed automatically and then compared at
the end of the day with the list of those who've paid.

Driving and parking in central London is neither cheap nor easy (even for
those like me who have lived here for more than 50 years). Given that the
capital has excellent public transport, it is well worth considering
whether you really need a car for days spent in the central area.
--
Paul Terry