moving
forward
urban transport
Traffic unjammed
if our love affair with the car continues to deepen,
cities the world over face gridlock. armed with
intelligent new technologies, are road charging
schemes part of the solution, and can public
transport offer a viable alternative?
“traffic congestion means slower, less reliable A global drive
journeys, which has a negative impact on economic other cities have followed singapore’s lead. but many have
growth and competitiveness at a local, regional and found gaining the public’s acceptance to be a challenge.
national level,” says simon mapes, transportation stockholm is one city to have successfully overcome
director with atkins. according to the eddington this hurdle. 27
transport study, a landmark government-commissioned the city certainly needed to be unclogged. Journey
report published in december 2006, traffic congestion times were far longer during rush hour, and pollution
in the uK already costs around £7-8bn per year in levels were having a damaging impact on quality of life.
delays. if left unchecked, that figure could rise a further Yet, despite the obvious effect of the traffic, two thirds
£22bn in england alone by 2025. of the population objected to road pricing. the solution
with the stakes high, the search is on for ways to came in the form of a seven-month trial to demonstrate
prevent the world’s transport networks from grinding to the benefits of road pricing for everyone. it wasn’t just
a halt. cities from stockholm, via london, to milan have successful; it blew expectations out of the water.
sought to unclog their roads by charging people to use those running the trial hoped the pricing system
them at times and in places where congestion is chronic. would reduce traffic congestion by between 10 and 15
singapore was the world’s pioneer in adopting a per cent. “the actual decrease was between 20 and 25
congestion charge, introduced in 1975, and operated per cent,” says lars-olov lissel, manager in the congestion
manually for the first 23 years. a motorist driving tax department of the swedish road authority traffic
through the central business district paid a fee at a registry. air pollution also fell more than expected.
tollbooth. in 1998, singapore upgraded to an electronic lissel says that key to the trial’s success was ensuring
toll collection (etc) system, which allows motorists to motorists were aware of the system and clear about how
drive in and out of controlled areas without having to to use it well ahead of the launch. another crucial factor
stop to pay. remote sensors are used to detect cars and was the smooth running of the trial itself.
automatically debit a driver’s account as payment for “the system actually worked from the very first day to
using the road. the last day of the trial,” lissel says. the 2006 trial led to a
has singapore succeeded in reducing congestion? referendum, with a majority of stockholm residents voting
Yes. the original manual system introduced in 1975 cut in favour of a permanent congestion charge, which came
traffic by 76 per cent during rush hours. the introduction into effect in august 2007.
of the faster etc system in 1998 made further according to atkins’ mapes, the stockholm experience
improvements, increasing average road speeds in the area highlights the fact that support for road pricing hinges on
by around 20 per cent. the public’s ability to perceive tangible benefits. “results
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