congestion charges in stockholm oscar alarik swedish society for nature conservation

Congestion Chargesin StockholmSwedish Society For Nature Conservation

Divided County

The Baltic Sea and Lake Mälaren split Stockholm in two parts.

The division cuts through the most densely populated part of the country

Stockholm County: 1,98 million

Stockholm City: 810.000

2007-03-08

Kansliet 3

Major infrastructure projects

2007-03-08

Kansliet 4

The Stockholm trial

• Congestion charges has been discussed since the seventies.

• The social democrats needed support in parliament from the greens and the left party.

• Agreement 2003 : a time-limited trial with congestion charges in Stockholm.

• The Stockholm trial would be subject of a public referendum, the same day as the next election, September 2006.

• The new mayor in Stockholm had promised the voters not to introduce charges in TV shortly before the elections 2003…

2007-03-08

Kansliet 5

Aims of the trial

Reduce traffic by 10-15% on the main roads

Increase average speeds on streets and roads

Reduce emissions of hazardous pollutants and carbon dioxide

Inhabitants should feel that the city environment has improved

More resources to public transport

2007-03-08

Kansliet 6

The three parts of

the Stockholm trial

• Charge when entering/exiting the centre of Stockholm

• 18 control points

• Essingeleden was not included in the trial

Congestion tax

9

Cameras

• High resolution digital cameras with infrared flash light

• Photographs both registration plates

• Automatic OCR-scan

The photographs stored in the system:drivers and passengers are not visible.

Registration number blurred to prevent identification.

2007-03-08

Kansliet 10

Control points:

No barriers, no stopping, no roadside payments

Automated identification

• Photographs of licence plates from front and rear

• OBU:s (small electronic box in the car)

The OBU is unique for each vehicle

Road

Laser detectorCamera rear Camera frontAntenna

2007-03-08

Kansliet 11

Time Charge SEK

6.30 - 6.59 am

10

7.00 - 7.29 am

15

7.30 - 8.29 am

20

8.30 - 8.59 am

15

9.00 am - 3.29 pm

10

3.30 - 3.59 pm

15

4.00 - 5.29 pm

20

5.30 - 5.59 pm

15

6.00 - 6.29 pm

10

6.30 pm - 6.29 am

0

12

10 kr

10 kr

Passage through charge limitcosts 10, 15 or 20 SEKduring charge hours

Travels through the zone to or fromLidingö are exempted

Travels on Essinge- leden bypass are exempted from charges, too.

Kansliet 14

First day – January 3, 2006

Passages over thecharging cordon de-creased 30 per cent compared to the previous day

Kansliet 15

16

Passages, control points06:00 – 19:00

START STOP

17

Goals essentially reached

10 - 15 % less traffic to/from inner city

– Was 20-25%

Increased accessibility

– Queue times down 30-50% in/near the inner city

– Essingeleden bypass about the same as before

Decreased emissions

– 10-14% less in inner city; 2-3% in total county

Inhabitants should perceive an improved urban environment

– Unclear – difficult to define and measure

Reduction of particles in air

19

Less emissions improve health

Inner city8-14% reduction

County2-3% reduction

• Emissions are reduced in the ”right” area – where people live and breath.

• 8-14 per cent reduction

Kansliet 20

21

Less traffic – also further out and inside the cordon

-25% -20% -15% -10% -5% 0% 5%

Innerstadsgator

Innerstadsgator, stora

Innerstadsleder

Avgiftssnittet

Inre infarter

Yttre infarter

Ytterstadsgator

Tvrleder

Streets inside

Streets inside, large

Main roads inside

Cordon zone limit

Inner radials

Outer radials

Streets, outside

Orbitals

22

30-50% less time in queues

Ktid, morgonrusning

0%

50%

100%

150%

200%

250%

300%

inreinfartIN inreinfartUT innerstadsgata innerstadsledN innerstadsledS

fm 2005 fm 2006

Delay time, AM peak

Inner main roads, inbound

Inner main roads, outbound

Inner streets

Inner main roads, northbound

Inner main roads, southbound

23

Even larger effect on PM peak

Ktid, eftermiddagsrusning

0%

50%

100%

150%

200%

250%

300%

inreinfartIN inreinfartUT innerstadsgata innerstadsledN innerstadsledS

em 2005 em 2006

Inner main roads, inbound

Inner main roads, outbound

Inner streets

Inner main roads, northbound

Inner main roads, southbound

Delay time, PM peak

24

Industry & commerce

• Marginal influence on land use, real estate prices and regional economy compared to other factors

• No identifiable effects on retail at aggregate level

• Influence on households purchasing power negligible

25

”Stockholm the congestion tax”

26

27

”Yes” in public referendum

• 51,3 % voted yes

• 45,5 % voted no

• The new government decided to reinstall congestion taxes 2007.

28

Why is congestion charges sopolitically sensitive?

• People pay for something that recently was perceived as free

• Invisible benefits – at least until experienced

• Easy meat for any political opposition

• A car is a holy cow on four wheels

29

5 success factors - a wish list

- A committed political leader

- The best project leader in the country - with a clear mandate

- A thorough and well researched plan, ruthlessly adopted to the city’s needs and the public mind.

- Legislation in place in good time: competence, integrity, penalties…

- Be the one that’s got the facts. Media will ask the very first day how traffic behaves compared to the same day one year before.

Information:www.stockholmsforsoket.se

Cost-benefit analysis of the congestion charges

Payback time: 4 years.

Shorter, more reliable travel times 590 mkr/yearPaid congestion charges -760 mkr/yearHealth and environment 90 mkr/yearTraffic safety 120 mkr/yearRevenues from congestion charges 760 mkr/yearOther revenues/costs 190 mkr/year

Maintenance and running costs -220 mkr/year

Net benefit 760 mkr/year

Investment and running costs 2006 -2000 mkrShadow prices etc. -1100 mkr

Total initial cost -3100 mkr