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Can road levies solve congestion?
August 2001
Roadways in central London are fast approaching gridlock and the road user charges proposed by Greater London's first mayor are part of a series of initiatives to reform city transportation.
The charges will apply to anyone driving into Inner London and are primarily designed to discourage through-traffic as well as the majority of road users who make short journeys when alternative transportation is available.
Ken Livingstone, the first mayor, was elected in May last year - primarily on a platform of transportation reform. Before the election, the UK Government had granted municipal authorities the power to introduce road user charges and to use the revenue for transport infrastructure.
The new toll system is largely based on "Road Charging Options for London" - a technical investigation into the feasibility, acceptability and transportation impacts of such charges. The report investigated methods, reasons and impacts of such charging, public opinion, and alternative solutions to the traffic crisis. The report does not include a clear picture of current driver patterns in Inner London, nor does it say whether through traffic trying to avoid the charge will simply move the "gridlock" further away from the city centre.
Computer modelling has indicated that the charge could produce a reduction in traffic levels of up to 12% in central London and 3% in Inner London. The result will be that traffic speeds in the area will be able to increase by up to 23 km/h. At the same time, the reduction in road traffic will give greater access to business traffic and allow more efficient bus services.
Under the new laws, net revenue from the road user charge system must be spent on transportation proposals conforming to the UK Government's own Transport Strategy.
This arrangement is to apply for a minimum of ten years after charging has been introduced. London has already set its priorities for expenditure with the funds going to a range of initiatives including bus network improvements, interchange improvements, safety and security, late night transport, fare restructuring, and an expanded underground and rail service. Little money will be spent on upgrading the road infrastructure.
The road user charging proposal is primarily a method to raise revenue for public transportation while at the same time discouraging central area traffic and promoting the transfer from car to public transportation.
London's current transport system is unable to meet local and tourist demands and will certainly benefit from the increased revenue and an easing in traffic congestion. The city also has problems with road freight. One analysis shows that 5% of Greater London's road network carries over a quarter of all the city's vehicular traffic - and 50% of all heavy goods vehicles. To address the challenge, London is creating a "Sustainable Distribution Strategy" that fosters a shift from road to rail and water transport In 1999, 188 million tonnes of road freight was moved about London - 48 million tonnes of which had both its origin and destination within the inner London area. The 1990's saw the shift from medium sized freight vehicles to vans, by 2011 there will be an increase of 10% of freight vehicles on London roads, with light vans being the fastest growing mode of freight transport.
Reviews are currently being completed with respect to on-street loading and unloading provisions, examination for the scope of non-car lanes (i.e. bus, cyclist and heavy goods vehicles), community impacts and environmental schemes. The London Lorry ban, first implemented in 1985, placed restrictions on the use of HGV at night and on the weekends. This initiative was intended to remove through London freight trips and minimise the use of unsuitable roads at these times. This initiative is now being reviewed due to quieter technologies adopted in freight vehicle design, allowing goods vehicles to be acceptable in more circumstances.
The distribution industry is under review, investigating methods of consolidating loads and the number of deliveries, incorporating delivery to intermediate points (i.e. staging depots), change of delivery hours and the use of better vehicles in dense urban environments.
A number of schemes are being employed to encourage the use of cleaner goods vehicles. The Powershift programme provides grants for alternatively fuelled vehicles (including new vehicles and retrofitted modifications), while Reduced Pollution certificates reduce the vehicle excise duty for vehicles with the appropriate standards. The Mayor intends to encourage the switch to Liquid Natural Gas, and Compressed Natural Gas fuels by proposing a 100% discount on the proposed central London congestion charging scheme and reviewing access restrictions placed upon these vehicles in Rotherhithe and Blackwall tunnels.
In order for these initiatives to be investigated and implemented, a joint body has been constructed between the London Sustainable Distribution Partnership and local Freight Quality Partnerships. This body's function is to shape the plans and coordinate the implementation of initiatives on freight and servicing issues, coordinating the plan of action for all parties involved. The freight network improvements are currently in the planning stage as the Mayors primary focus is upon the implementation of passenger services and encouragement towards the use of public transport as an alternative to private car use. The freight schemes mentioned above are at the feasibility and preliminary planning stages, with little public information available.
