Congestion Charge
kun-JES-chun CHARJ /kənˈdʒestʃən tʃɑːdʒ/
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What it really means
A daily fee (currently £15) for driving a car into central London during charging hours. Cameras read your number plate automatically. There is also the ULEZ charge for older, more polluting vehicles. Pay online or face a big fine.
Chinese explanation
伦敦拥堵费，收费时段开车进入市中心每天需缴费（目前15英镑），摄像头自动识别车牌。另有针对高排放旧车的ULEZ超低排放区收费。要在网上缴费，否则罚款很重。
Example conversation
A: Shall we drive into central London on Saturday?
B: Remember the Congestion Charge, and parking is a nightmare. Honestly, the train is easier.
A：我们周六开车进伦敦市中心吧？
B：别忘了拥堵费，而且停车是噩梦。说真的，坐火车省事多了。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
All Transport
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake