Press Notices

21.06.06:
New study shows road pricing progress

The UK Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) today released a new review of road pricing across the world, looking at 22 schemes to identify lessons for UK policy makers.

A Government survey of public attitudes to road pricing, also published today, shows that 87% of people view congestion as a serious problem for the country and a majority believe that the current system of paying for road use should be changed so that drivers pay in proportion to their use. However, the results also show there is still work to be done in gaining a consensus on the way a scheme should operate.

CfIT Member Paul Godier said: "The Government should be heartened by the overwhelming recognition that congestion is a very real problem in this country and that a momentum is growing for changing the way we pay for road use.

"The survey shows the public are more uncertain about the operating detail of a road pricing scheme. Our study gives examples from around the world - including the three recent schemes in England - showing how issues such as fairness, enforcement and technology can be addressed successfully. We hope our study will aid wider public understanding, and therefore acceptance, of road pricing as part of an integrated transport policy."

Douglas Alexander the Transport Secretary said: "This review of road pricing around the world from CfIT is a welcome contribution to the debate. It reinforces the view that pricing can be an effective tool to help address congestion and make journeys more reliable. It also shows that we need to explain to people what pricing might mean for them in practice if they are to see the benefits.

"New technology is developing rapidly to help us provide effective solutions that will help us manage our roads better. The challenge now for the pilot areas is to take road pricing off the drawing board and make it work in real places, in a way that brings real benefits to road users."

The CfIT review shows that:

• While schemes vary widely between different cities, regions and countries, their increasing number shows that the principle of pricing road use is now firmly established around the globe;
• No road pricing initiative has yet been withdrawn prematurely once it has been introduced*;
• The significant number of schemes - many in particularly high profile parts of the world - has led to an increase in public knowledge and public acceptability of road pricing;
• Public acceptability, where measured consistently over time, increases once road pricing initiatives are introduced and the benefits observed;
• Public acceptability before and during the introduction of schemes has been significantly enhanced through the adoption of strategies such as:
• ringfencing the revenue raised for local improvements to transport,
• introducing a scheme as part of a package of other transport improvements,
• ensuring country-wide compatibility between the technology used in different schemes,
• ensuring there is a high profile, visible champion to promote schemes,
• confining the scheme's objectives to a simple, clear aim.

Paul Godier added:

"There are now 'live' road pricing schemes on every continent of the world. The evidence suggests that these have been very successful and, to date, no scheme has had to be withdrawn prematurely once it has been launched.

"The message is clear: more and more governments around the world are seeing the logic of using road pricing as the best way of tackling congestion, environmental concerns and transport funding. And more of the voting publics in those countries are finding it an acceptable way of paying for the way they use their roads, once they see the benefits it can generate."

* The scheme in Trondheim ceased to operate on 31 December 2005, but this was in line with the original plans to run the scheme for a fixed period of 15 years to allow sufficient money to be raised for transport improvements.

Notes to editors:

1. Paul Godier is available for interviews. Please contact Luke Blair on 07779 023188 for details.

2. The World Review of Road Pricing is available from the CfIT website at: www.cfit.gov.uk/docs/2006/wrrp/index.htm.

3. The 22 case studies on which the Review was based are also available from the CfIT website at: www.cfit.gov.uk/map/index.htm.

4. The DfT survey of attitudes to road pricing is available on the DfT website at: www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/trsnstatsatt/attitudestoroadcong.

5. In 2002, CfIT published its advice to Government on the introduction of a national road user charging scheme: www.cfit.gov.uk/docs/2002/pfru/index.htm.

6. The Commission for Integrated Transport was set up by Government to provide it with independent advice on strategic policy issues.

7. CfIT is chaired by Peter Hendy and has 16 other Commission Members drawn from a broad spectrum of transport expertise. See: www.cfit.gov.uk/about/index.htm.

8. The DfT is funding seven pilot areas which are carrying out feasibility studies on packages of road pricing and improvement of public transport. The seven are preparing bids to the Transport Innovation Fund. See: www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=179352&NewsAreaID=2.