Here’s where it gets painful. If you accidentally drive into the Congestion Zone without paying, you’ll get a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of up to £160. That’s more than most gig tickets at The O2.
The good news? Your route to the arena is straightforward if you stick to the main roads. The bad news? Google Maps sometimes suggests weird shortcuts that nip into the zone for a few yards. Don’t trust the algorithm blindly.
I once followed a “faster route” that took me past the Tower of London. By the time I realised my mistake, I’d already triggered two cameras. Two. Ouch.
So, the final verdict
Is The O2 inside the Congestion Zone? No. Is it inside the ULEZ? Yes. Is that confusing? Absolutely.
Think of it this way: The Congestion Zone is the nightclub bouncer who stops you at midnight. The ULEZ is the bouncer who checks your ID every single day, all day long. One is annoying, the other is relentless.
My advice? Take the train, pay the ULEZ fee if you must drive, or just carpool with a mate who owns a hybrid. Dave’s still paying off that fine from our last trip. Some lessons cost more than others.
