Foreign embassies in London owe a record total of more than £58 million in congestion and penalty charges.
The American embassy tops the list with £6.1 million, followed by Russia on £4.7 million, Japan on £4.2 million and Germany, with £3.6 million.
Unpaid charges are growing by £1 million a month and the debt has tripled since 2008, as diplomats and senior embassy staff continue to ignore the £10-a-day charge and the £120 penalty charge notice.
The figures were uncovered in a special investigation by Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the London Assembly Lib-Dem group and the Assembly’s transport committee.
She said: “Too many embassies are insulting their host city by evading a charge which everyone else —including the Queen — has to pay if they wish to drive in central London.”
Some foreign embassies query whether the fee is a charge or a tax. The latter is not payable by diplomats to host countries. The Government insists the C-charge is not a tax.
