Title: IS ROAD PRICING A REAL CONTRIBUTION TO URBAN TRANSPORT POLICY
Abstract: Road pricing is a levy imposed on each motorvehicle during congestion in proportion to the marginal damage it inflicts on the other traffic participants and the environment. Advocates of road pricing expect an appreciable decrease in traffic volume, resulting in less remedial investments in traffic infrastructure and environment. For socio-political reasons, road pricing has not been introduced sofar. Lately, its introduction is again urged to lighten tight budgets. Congestion occurs mainly during daily peak periods. Per definition, the extra trip incurred is shorter than the duration of the congestion. The road pricing levy is a function of this extra trip and therefore of finite value, not more than a few US Dollars; in average much less. During congestion, trip and driving discomfort increase substantially, inducing appreciable changes in choice of mode, time and route. A (limited) increase in trip expense, due to road pricing will not induce more than a further marginal change in driver's behaviour. The levy can only be paid after the trip is completed. The actual amount is not known when the driver programs his trip. At that moment he decides on his route and timing and thus on his appearance in the congestion area. The actual amount paid later has no influence on this phenomena. Therefore, a prefixed toll would have the same effect on driver's behaviour if any as a true road pricing system. The author concludes that road pricing will hardly effect traffic volumes during congestion. Its introduction could only be justified as a contribution in financing measures to combat environmental pollution.
Publication Year: 1987
Publication Date: 1987-02-01
Language: en
Type: article
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