United States leads the way with £1.5m in outstanding London congestion charge payments

Wealthy foreign diplomats are dodging millions of pounds in bills for unpaid parking fines and congestion charges.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett says embassies now owe millions for unpaid congestion charges - while only one in nine parking fines is being settled.

Despite pleas from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for the bills to be paid the vast majority remain outstanding - with many diplomats believing their status means they don't have to cough up.



The United States' unpaid congestion charge bill hit £1.5m in the past year; with Nigeria second on £700,000, and Sudan third on £545,000.

Meanwhile a total of 5,484 tickets were issued to diplomats for dodgy parking and minor traffic offences - with 4,859 remaining unpaid. Saudi Arabia is the worst offender, with £30,000 in fines still outstanding.

With list of congestion charge worst offenders.