Urban congestion charging : road pricing as a traffic reduction measure / W. Heyns

Urban traffic congestion is recognised as a major problem by most people in world cities. However, theimplementation of congestion reducing measures on a wide scale eludes most world cities suffering fromtraffic congestion, as many oppose the notion of road pricing and despite economists and transportationprofessionals having advocated its benefits for a number of decades. The effects of road pricing haveattracted considerable attention from researchers examining its effects, as it is thought to hold the key inunderstanding and overcoming some inherent obstacles to implementation. Unfortunately, many of theattempts consider the effects in isolation and with hypothetical, idealised and analytical tools, sometimesloosing sight of the complexities of the problem.This research empirically investigates the effects of road pricing in London, and identifies factors, whichmay prove to sustain it as a traffic reduction instrument. The results indicate that an integrated approachhas to be developed and implemented, based upon the recognition of local perceptions, concerns,aspirations and locally acceptable solutions, if the acceptance of road pricing is to be improved. The keyto dealing with the effects of road pricing, is to encourage a concerted effort by various stakeholdersdeveloping strategies considering a range of differing initiatives, coordinating and managing them in therealm of the political-economic context in which they exist.