IntroductionRoad-user Charging [gloss.] is, in simple terms, a mechanism through which motorists pay to use a defined area of road (for example, by tolling) currently used extensively across Europe, and on key bridges in the UK. It can also form a larger scheme to charge for use of road space, and provide a means through which road space can be re-allocated in favour of public transport, for example.
Road-user charging is the technical/engineering term for what is described above. It is commonly referred to as "congestion charging" [gloss.] , particularly by the media, but strictly speaking, congestion charging is just one possible form of road-user charging, as explained below. It is important to note that while road-user charging may be a very useful tool to reduce congestion, it may be used for other reasons, such as to pay for the construction of a new road, for example the Birmingham Northern Relief Road/M6 Toll (www.m6toll.co.uk).
Road works (Jnct 9, M42 Motorway) in connection with the new Birmingham Northern Relief Road - M6 Toll Road.
Internalising the External costs of CongestionWhen deciding to make a journey, a driver will usually only take into account the costs imposed on him/herself, e.g. cost of fuel (higher in stationary traffic), personal cost if delayed due to heavy traffic. In fact, there are many other costs related to that driver making a journey. These include:
Internalising these costs means making each driver pay for their part of the general costs generated by the system that they benefit from.
It can be seen that road pricing can be used as a flexible way of charging people for road use and perhaps bringing to an end the idea that one can drive a car endlessly without thinking about the external consequences.
Forms of Road PricingArea Licensing: allows for provision of a license, which enables the user to enter a certain defined area and can be paper, or electronic, by storage of a registration number. It does not restrict how many journeys one can make within the charging area so its usefulness as a congestion-busting tool is limited. It is, however, easy to set up and maintain.
Cordon/zone charging: involves setting up a linear cordon and charging at access points to the zone. The user would then pay a charge depending on how many crossings into the zone were made, or in some cases for how long. It is very versatile and can incorporate varying charging scales according to type of vehicle, time of day etc. However, a disadvantage is that vehicles will often 'skirt' around the edges of zones to avoid paying the charges, increasing the congestion outside the zone.
Distance-based charging: The fee levied is proportional to the distance travelled, and in simple terms, the amount that the driver would pay reflects more accurately the cost of the pollution caused. In urban areas, a cordon might be defined and drivers charged according to the distance travelled within the cordon.
Time-based charging: The driver is charged a fee related to how much time is spent on charging roads, or in an urban area, within a cordon. Implications of this mean that if traffic congestion is higher, then the driver spends more time in the zone, and hence would be charged more. The driver would then perhaps choose not to enter the zone/cordon at busy times of day. The big problem with time-based charging is that it would encourage drivers to drive faster to spend less time in the charging zone.
Congestion charging: This can be considered as a sub-set of road-user charging, as the fee levied would be directly related to the amount of congestion caused by a car's journey. It is generally accepted that congestion brings with it a set of consequences relating to pollution and increased journey times amongst other things, and is therefore undesirable. So any means to reduce congestion are important. Through satellite positioning and road-side sensors, it would be possible to tell if a particular vehicle is adding to congestion, and therefore the driver could be financially penalised for this. This would mean that, in an urban area, within a defined cordon, use of any road at any time could result in a congestion charge being levied, depending entirely on the traffic conditions. The definition of 'congestion' is critical to the way the scheme is implemented and how users are charged.
Electronic Road Pricing in Singapore – notice the gantry-mounted beacons
Charging MechanismsThere are various ways of charging:
A 'Smart Card' used in collection of tolls via DSRC
Enforcement IssuesIn order for any charging scheme to be fair and effective, steps must be taken to ensure that violations can be identified and dealt with. Violations could be in the form of not paying a license fee (similar to non-payment of the TV license), malfunctioning in-car equipment, or not possessing the funds to pay for the charges. Therefore, the technology required to define the violation, has to provide the following information:
As well as the problem of violations, the system needs to be secure so that individuals' privacy is respected, as well as being fail-safe and ensuring that it is technically capable of enforcing both DSRC– and SP-based road-user charging systems.
Social IssuesSeveral points that could be considered here include (these are just a few examples, many more can be found elsewhere):
Road-user Charging in LondonAfter months of speculation and protest, London's 'Congestion Charging' scheme was introduced on the 17th February 2003. It was an immediate success, reducing congestion levels by about 20%. With the scheme now well established, analysts agree that it is working well. Congestion is lower, journey times quicker, and business has survived without a significant impact. In fact, the scheme has been far more effective than expected, and has removed far more cars from the road than was planned. Since removal of traffic from the roads was the primary function of the charges, this is excellent news, however, it does mean that less money is being raised. Transport for London [gloss.] claim to have lost £64 million compared to their forecasted income over the first 6 months of the charges!
Initially, motorists had to pay a £5 daily charge to enter the cordon between 7am and 6.30pm on weekdays; now the daily charge is £8. Some vehicles are exempt, such as taxis and emergency service vehicles. Cameras take pictures of the number plates on the cars which enter the cordon, and compare with a database containing details of registrations for which a charge has been paid for. People can pay over the phone, internet, and at certain shops within the cordon.
The success of the London scheme has already resulted in plans to extend the area over which it operates. Similar schemes are also being looked at in many other UK cities, and Heathrow Airport. However, other cities must be careful not to jump on the bandwagon following the triumph of London's scheme. Many other cities do not have the public transport facilities to cope with a major shift of people out of their cars, and onto public transport.
Suggestions made by the Transport Select Committee about urban charging schemes, particularly the London scheme, and the government's response to these suggestions in 2003, can be found in the report 'Government response to the committee report on urban charging schemes'.
Will scenes such as this become a thing of the past if road-user charging is introduced nationwide?
Question...?Can you identify what type of road-user charging scheme the London one is against the classifications earlier in this section?
The following two web-sites provide much information specifically about the London scheme:
Transport for London Congestion Charging site
Commission for Integrated Transport's description of the London Congestion Charging scheme
Road-user Charging – Some of the issues to consider
Some Useful Links
 topic overview |
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introduction |
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the 'car culture' - a brief synopsis |
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carrots |
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sticks |
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road-user charging |
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organisation travel plans |
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exam-style questions |
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