C-charge fine for Boris Johnson

Mr Johnson wants a new system of congestion charge payment

London Mayor Boris Johnson has admitted being fined for failing to pay the city's congestion charge.

The mayor said he "totally forgot" to pay the �8-a-day charge in the required 48 hours after he drove into central London last month.

"I got done by my own system," he told BBC London 94.9. "Bing! I got a �60 fine which I have just coughed up."

In November, the mayor announced plans to scrap the western extension of central London's congestion zone.

'Wretched' system

Mr Johnson, who usually travels by bicycle, said he drove into central London to light the Hanukkah Menorah in a ceremony at Trafalgar Square on 22 December.

He became "a victim of this wretched system" by failing to pay the toll within two days.

The mayor said he wanted to move to an account-based system of congestion charge payment "when the technology comes in".

"That would get away from the crazy system where you suddenly get clobbered by these fines," he said.

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