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Road pricing in the UK

Ian Drummond

Head of Road Pricing Framework Division

Department for Transport

United Kingdom

Ian Drummond

Head of Road Pricing Framework Division

Department for Transport

United Kingdom

2

Road pricing in the UK

• The current situation

• Tolling or charging

• Systems in use in the UK

• Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

• What next?

• The current situation

• Tolling or charging

• Systems in use in the UK

• Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

• What next?

Steps along the way

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The current situation

• Congestion is an increasing problem for the UK

• Causes are economic and geographic

• We are a small island with increasing levels of car ownership

• Congestion is an increasing problem for the UK

• Causes are economic and geographic

• We are a small island with increasing levels of car ownership

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The small island - things are close to hand

Distance between centres of urban areas

UK unlike most of Europe

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Road user charging in the UK Where we are today

• London congestion charge

• Introduced 2003, extended 2007

• London congestion charge

• Introduced 2003, extended 2007

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London

London Scheme has cut congestion

Small area, extended 19 February 2007

London Scheme has cut congestion

Small area, extended 19 February 20070

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Private carsentering zone

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Start of congestion charge

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Road user charging in the UK Where we are today

• London congestion charge

• Introduced 2003, extended 2007

• Durham

• Very local scheme, introduced 2002

• London congestion charge

• Introduced 2003, extended 2007

• Durham

• Very local scheme, introduced 2002

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Road user charging in the UK Where we are today

• London congestion charge

• Introduced 2003, extended 2007

• Durham

• Very local scheme, introduced 2002

• Tolled roads and crossings

• Dartford, Mersey Tunnel, M6 Toll etc

• London congestion charge

• Introduced 2003, extended 2007

• Durham

• Very local scheme, introduced 2002

• Tolled roads and crossings

• Dartford, Mersey Tunnel, M6 Toll etc

9

Local schemes

• Local authorities lead on analysing problems and devising solutions

• Variety of places

• Big conurbations – West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Tyne & Wear

• Mixed areas – Greater Bristol, East Midlands 3 cities

• Cities & towns – Durham, Cambridge, Reading, Norwich

• Proposals expected to cover road pricing linked to local transport investment

• Local authorities lead on analysing problems and devising solutions

• Variety of places

• Big conurbations – West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Tyne & Wear

• Mixed areas – Greater Bristol, East Midlands 3 cities

• Cities & towns – Durham, Cambridge, Reading, Norwich

• Proposals expected to cover road pricing linked to local transport investment

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Local pathfinders – - places we are working with to explore possibilities

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Tolling or charging

• Policy is to deal with congestion

• Charge for driving in congested areas

• Tolling for specific projects only

• Estuarial crossings

• M6 Toll

• No general policy to toll for infrastructure

• provision or maintenance

• Policy is to deal with congestion

• Charge for driving in congested areas

• Tolling for specific projects only

• Estuarial crossings

• M6 Toll

• No general policy to toll for infrastructure

• provision or maintenance

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Systems

• Barriers

• Cash or Tags

• Automatic Number Plate Readers

• Barriers

• Cash or Tags

• Automatic Number Plate Readers

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SWOT analysis Strengths of the UK position

• An incremental approach

• Learn from experience

• Reduced risk of systems failure

• No “big bang”

• Growing support for charging from reports

• Eddington, Stern

• Business sector support for exploration of road pricing

• An incremental approach

• Learn from experience

• Reduced risk of systems failure

• No “big bang”

• Growing support for charging from reports

• Eddington, Stern

• Business sector support for exploration of road pricing

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SWOT analysis Weaknesses of the UK position

• Debate is still ongoing

• Presentational issues; challenges for decision makers

• Experience in running schemes is limited

• Designing and costing operational systems is proving to be a challenge

• Narrow supply base

• Potential monopolistic supply market

• Debate is still ongoing

• Presentational issues; challenges for decision makers

• Experience in running schemes is limited

• Designing and costing operational systems is proving to be a challenge

• Narrow supply base

• Potential monopolistic supply market

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SWOT analysis Opportunities for the UK position

• Transport Innovation Fund

• Significant funds; innovative approaches

• Demonstration projects

• Advances thinking on issues of concern; generates real world experience

• International collaboration

• Stockholm Group; working with and learning from others

• Traffic growth• Increased congestion will stimulate better debate

• Transport Innovation Fund

• Significant funds; innovative approaches

• Demonstration projects

• Advances thinking on issues of concern; generates real world experience

• International collaboration

• Stockholm Group; working with and learning from others

• Traffic growth• Increased congestion will stimulate better debate

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SWOT analysis Threats to the UK position

• Public backlash

• Projects cannot get off the ground

• Local experience is not gained

• Cost of complementary transport investment

• Key to providing alternative means of getting around

• Part of package

• Complexity of running sophisticated schemes

• Experience only comes with experience

• Public backlash

• Projects cannot get off the ground

• Local experience is not gained

• Cost of complementary transport investment

• Key to providing alternative means of getting around

• Part of package

• Complexity of running sophisticated schemes

• Experience only comes with experience

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Road pricing in the United Kingdom Next steps

• First TIF Business cases expected in the summer

• Proposals take greater shape

• Time-Distance-Place Demonstration Project

• Enable learning; involves industry

• Local Transport Bill

• Greater scope for LAs to tackle local congestion

• First TIF Business cases expected in the summer

• Proposals take greater shape

• Time-Distance-Place Demonstration Project

• Enable learning; involves industry

• Local Transport Bill

• Greater scope for LAs to tackle local congestion

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Road pricing in the UK

Ian Drummond

Head of Road Pricing Framework Division

Department for Transport

United Kingdom

Ian Drummond

Head of Road Pricing Framework Division

Department for Transport

United Kingdom