Type of Scheme
- Cordon-based pricing scheme where drivers must pay to enter the central zone.
Date of Introduction
Background
- Continuous increase of vehicles, particularly by through traffic, inside a historical city centre characterized by narrow and uneven streets, led to high congestion levels and environmental pollution which damaged health of citizens and cultural heritage of city.
- System of access control therefore introduced in 1989 which placed restrictions on vehicles entering historical centre.
- Restrictions not systematically enforced until 1994, when municipal police were used to block entry into the area but became too resource intensive.
- From 2001 automated access control (Iride) was introduced.
- The pricing zone has an area of 4.6km2 and contains about 42,000 residents and over 116,000 workers.
Aim
- To reduce traffic in the central area.
How it Works
Charges:
- Access to the area is free for residents.
- Other vehicle users can obtain special annual permit which allows them to drive through any of the access gates in to the historical centre.
Technology:
- Drivers wishing to access tolled area must fit an electronic device (On Board Unit) in their vehicle in to which a Smartcard is inserted. This device is able to communicate with the access gate computers.
- When a driver approaches the gate, the on-board unit transfers data about the vehicle allowing the computer to check against a list of permits whether or not the vehicle is authorised.
- If so, an electronic monetary transaction is made and the driver is allowed to pass through.
Enforcement:
- Enforcement is active during the weekdays from 6.30am to 6.00pm, and on Saturday from 2.00-6.00pm.
- If an unauthorized vehicle is detected by the access gate computers, video cameras sited at the gates are activated and a photo is taken of the vehicle's number plate.
- Data and images are then communicated to the central access control system and processed, after which, a penalty notice is sent to the driver.
Revenue
- Total annual payment for permits is around 10m€.
Benefits/Results
- 10% reduction of the daily traffic.
Public Opinion
- Opposition from commercial organisations residing within the access zone was strong in the beginning.
Problems
- To replace use of municipal police with automated system to control entry into historic area, new legislation was needed since current law required physical presence of policeman in order to fine violators.
- Automated technology had to be proved as reliable and error-free (rate of error less than human error) in order to make the technologies legally acceptable.
- On the basis of results of this type, a modification to the Italian Road Code was made allowing such technology to be admissible from the legislative point of view.
Website
Rome ATAC:
www.sta.roma.it.
Reference
Automatic vehicles access control system of the historical centre of Rome. Antonucci', F. Garzia2, G. M. Veca , lSTA S,p.A., Rome, Italy , Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy (2002).
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