Hoot Guide to the London Congestion ChargeThe great service you can expect from Hoot Car Insurance Services doesn't begin and end with a really cheap car insurance deal (though there's no denying that's a big part of it). In the few years we've been trading, members of our motor insurance team have become experts in a bewildering range of driving-related trivia, and through the Hoot Guides series we're able to share much of this knowledge with you. The aim is to provide a valuable resource of motoring info for our online car insurance customers. Eventually, as the series continues to expand, we hope the Hoot Guides will be able to provide answers for just about any driving-related query. We've already covered the MOT test, car theft, seatbelt law and the ins and outs of car insurance policy jargon. And now, in this latest guide, we're going to work on the London Congestion Charge. London Congestion Charge
First introduced in 2003 to cut overcrowding, journey times, CO2 and other harmful emissions in central London, the congestion charge has been a never ending source of controversy and debate both in the capital and the rest of the country.
Those in support of the scheme claim it has succeeded in all it set out to achieve, besides bringing numerous extra benefits such as tempting cyclists back out onto city streets and creating a more friendly local atmosphere. However, critics of the charge continue to voice concerns. They say business within the affected city wards suffers due to deceased traffic flow; previously overstretched public transport systems are being brought to their knees; and that the flat-rate charge threatens the livelihoods of many poorer Londoners but makes no difference to the driving habits of their richer neighbours. We'll leave the politics to the politicians, however. For now, let's concentrate on just how you get into central London and out again without paying that dreaded £100 fine (the standard penalty for congestion charge evasion). Which areas of London are covered?
Originally, the congestion charge zone covered the area enclosed by the London Inner Ring Road - that is the whole of the City of London, the West End and the city's financial district.
Since 19 February 2007, however, the charging zone has been extended to the west, and now covers parts of the boroughs of Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham.
A detailed map of the affected areas is available on the Transport for London website How does the system work?
There are no tollbooths or barriers at the edges of the congestion charge zone. Instead, the area is signposted with a white 'C' on a red background. On some streets, this mark appears on the road surface as well.
It's well worth checking out a marked street map before venturing into the city, however, as people often claim the boundary is poorly marked in places. Traffic in the zone is monitored by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and tallied with a database of drivers who have paid the charge. Fines are issued when a car registration crops up that doesn't have an entry on the database. A high density of cameras in the congestion charge zone means nearly every vehicle that enters is photographed, so it really isn't worth 'risking-it' in the hope you won't get caught. How much is it?
The charge itself is a flat fee of £8, payable in advance or on the day of travel, for any vehicle driving within the charge zone. You can pay the following day, but the price is increased to £10 in this case.
The charge only applies between 7am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, and is exclusive of Bank Holidays. How do I pay?
There's a plethora of payment options available for those wishing to drive in the congestion zone.
You can pay by phone, post or text message; at certain shops, petrol stations and car parks on the way into London; or online at the Transport for London website. Additionally, all BT internet kiosks within the charge zone provide a free link to the online payment service. If you need to drive in the zone on a regular basis it's worth applying for a 'Fast Track' card, which stores your registration details to speed up the payment process. Cheap car insurance from Hoot
Whichever way you pay for it, driving in the congestion charge zone puts another strain on your motoring budget. Luckily for you, however, the team here at Hoot offer something to make up for it - we're talking about some seriously cheap car insurance.
Hoot can afford to be much cheaper than many other so-called cheap car insurance companies because we don't waste money on million-pound advertising campaigns or flashy high street shops to attract new customers. We've always concentrated on getting the best deal for our existing car insurance clients, and left the marketing side to them - that's how come we do the majority of our thriving trade through word of mouth. We believe passionately that online car insurance is the way of the future, and we've always pushed to get as much of our business on the internet as possible. More and more people are switching to online providers because they've heard about the exceptionally cheap car insurance deals to be had - and at Hoot, we live up to that well-deserved reputation. For a free, instant cheap car insurance quote, just click the button below. 
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