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UK road tolls

Durham Road User Charge Zone (Durham congestion charge)

Durham Road User Charge Zone (Durham congestion charge) cost calculator

Choose the operator's vehicle class and published payment option. Monthly and yearly figures are derived from the weekly crossings you enter.

£5.00

Price per crossing

Monthly cost
£43.33
Yearly cost
£520.00
How this was worked out

Assumptions

Caveats

  • These monthly, yearly and saving figures are calculations from the published per-crossing price, not figures published by the operator.
  • The £5 rate, hours and exemptions are from the council page fetched 7 September 2026. The 2002 start, £2 original charge and the £2 to £5 / 10am to 2am change are from the council's Highways Committee minutes of 21 March 2025 (democracy.durham.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=69356); the exact date the £5 rate went live is not printed on any page fetched, so it is given as 2025. The council's online-payment conditions PDF (older, 2023 timestamp) says pay by midnight on the day of use, while the current page says within 24 hours; the page wording is used. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal page for the zone could not be read (content truncated), so no independent confirmation of a discounted PCN was obtained.

Charges by vehicle class

Durham Road User Charge Zone (Durham congestion charge) published charges
Vehicle classPricePayment method or tariffConditionsSource
All non-exempt motor vehicles (cars, vans, goods vehicles, coaches)£5.00 GBP per dayStandard tariffEntering the zone between 10.00am and 2.00am any day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day; one charge covers the day.GOV.UK, Durham Road User Charge Zone (Durham congestion charge) tariff and travel information (as of 7 September 2026)
Motorcycles, mopeds, sidecars and bicycles£0.00 GBP per dayStandard tariffAutomatically exempt.GOV.UK, Durham Road User Charge Zone (Durham congestion charge) tariff and travel information (as of 7 September 2026)
Local bus services, taxis and private hire vehicles£0.00 GBP per dayStandard tariffExempt once registered with the council.GOV.UK, Durham Road User Charge Zone (Durham congestion charge) tariff and travel information (as of 7 September 2026)

How and when to pay

  • Pay in advance (up to 2 weeks before) or within 24 hours of entering the zone (the council's online-account conditions say by midnight on the day of use).
  • Online road user charge account (Pay Smart), PayByPhone location code 804250 (same day only), in person at The Parking Shop, Suite 1, Forster House, Durham, or by phone on 0191 384 6633. Camera enforced, no barrier.

Open the operator payment page

Penalty for late or missed payment

50GBP
Published penalty
GOV.UK, Durham Road User Charge Zone (Durham congestion charge) penalty tariff and travel information (as of 7 September 2026)
25GBP
Reduced amount, where offered
GOV.UK, Durham Road User Charge Zone (Durham congestion charge) penalty tariff and travel information (as of 7 September 2026)

Registered keeper may receive a £50 Penalty Charge Notice if the charge is not paid within 24 hours of entering the zone; £25 within 14 days of issue; representations within 28 days.

Discounts

  • No resident or local discount is published; Blue Badge holders can register up to two vehicles for exemption.

Exemptions

  • Two-wheeled motorbikes (and sidecars), mopeds and bicycles.
  • Postal service (Royal Mail) vehicles, liveried police, fire and ambulance vehicles, liveried Durham County Council vehicles, powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
  • On registration: Blue Badge holders (up to two vehicles), NHS and disabled vehicles exempt from vehicle tax, Dial-A-Ride, bullion vehicles, registered recovery and liveried breakdown vehicles, taxis and private hire vehicles, local bus services, non-liveried emergency vehicles and utility company vehicles on operational duty.
  • No charge on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, or between 2.00am and 10.00am.

History

The UK's first congestion charge, introduced in October 2002 at £2 (10am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday), cutting peninsula traffic by about 90% from 2,000 to 200 vehicles a day. Following a Durham City Road User Charging Scheme Order 2014 amendment consultation and a Highways Committee endorsement on 21 March 2025, the charge rose to £5 and hours were extended to 10am to 2am seven days a week, the rates now shown on the council site.

Common questions

Durham congestion charge?
£5 daily charge, 10.00am to 2.00am, Monday to Sunday, excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Charge point is at the entry to. For a car, £5.00 per crossing for a car.
Durham road user charge?
£5 daily charge, 10.00am to 2.00am, Monday to Sunday, excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Charge point is at the entry to. For a car, £5.00 per crossing for a car.
Durham peninsula charge?
£5 daily charge, 10.00am to 2.00am, Monday to Sunday, excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Charge point is at the entry to. For a car, £5.00 per crossing for a car.
Durham city centre toll?
£5 daily charge, 10.00am to 2.00am, Monday to Sunday, excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Charge point is at the entry to. For a car, £5.00 per crossing for a car.
Durham congestion charge times?
£5 daily charge, 10.00am to 2.00am, Monday to Sunday, excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Charge point is at the entry to. For a car, £5.00 per crossing for a car.
Durham congestion charge pay?
Pay in advance (up to 2 weeks before) or within 24 hours of entering the zone (the council's online-account conditions say by midnight on the day of use). Online road user charge account (Pay Smart), PayByPhone location code 804250 (same day only), in person at The Parking Shop, Suite 1, Forster House, Durham, or by phone on 0191 384 6633. Camera enforced, no barrier.

Sources

Related pages