MPs claim £180,480.23 worth of congestion charges & tolls
According to our latest analysis of the outgoing Parliament’s expense data, this is the amount paid out to MPs & family dependants for London Congestion charge, motorway & bridge tolls on journeys to and from Westminster in the past four and a half years [MP expense data is only available up till November of last year - we wont have the full 5 year picture for you until September as MPs, even those who are not returned or standing again can claim costs & expenses up till July].
Granted, they have had to pay back a total of £1,413.80 of that due mainly to insufficient evidence or duplicate claims but that still leaves a hefty £179,066.43.This doesn't include congestion charges and tolls paid our to MP staff which would add another £7,600 to the bill.
Top of the payouts has been to MPs all of whom are standing for re-election on May 7th. Margaret Beckett, MP for Derby South who has received almost £6,400 has a journey from her constituency office to Westminster of approximately 129 miles. All her claims were for the London congestion charge. She ranks 319th in terms of cost per vote.
Next is David Wright who is ranked 89th out of 650 currently on our MPIndex who has received almost £4,500 since 2010 in Congestion zone and toll reimbursement. Though some of his claims have been grouped confusingly with Utility bills.
Mark Tami, the MP for Alyn & Deeside in Wales, some 200 miles from Westminister is 3rd having received almost £4,400 for congestion zone and M6 toll claims.
Its not only MPs living hundreds of miles away who have received significant payments. One MP, whose constituency in Lambeth is less that 7miles from the House of Commons has clocked up almost £1,000 worth of London congestion zone charge payments. This is in addition to receiving the London living allowance of £3,760 per year intended to contribute towards the additional expenses of living in the London Area or of commuting regularly to the London Area.
It should be noted that some MPs who have hybrid cars or have a disabled blue badge are exempt from the congestion zone charge.