Sydney Considering Road Congestion Pricing
While a London-style congestion charge is unpopular with voters, experts agree that a congestion pricing scheme for major arterial roads is the only way to solve the city's traffic problems.
"A city-wide tolling system that charges motorists for using main roads at the busiest times of day has been proposed as a radical solution to Sydney's traffic nightmare. Although politicians and motorists reject a London-style congestion tax, experts yesterday said variable tolling on arterial roads could be the only way to fix the city's gridlock.
The satellite technology that would enable it is around the corner, while peak-period tolling is already operating in several overseas cities to discourage drivers.
Peter Stopher, a professor of transport planning at the University of Sydney, said a city-wide charge would be more effective than a CBD congestion tax. 'What we would do is charge people according to how much they're driving, where and when,' said Professor Stopher, of the Institute of Transport Studies."
- Login or register to post comments
- Email this page
- Melbourne Ranked as Most Livable City - Sep 02, 2011
- Australian Province Considers Free Transit - Apr 28, 2009
- Locals Apprehensively Excited About Sydney's Big Transit Plans - Mar 24, 2008
- Eco-Subsidies Not Enough To Combat Voter Dissatisfaction - Aug 15, 2006
- NYT Editorial Blasts House Transportation Bill - Feb 10, 2012
Planetizen picks
Contribute
- Top Cities For Singles Revealed
- Are the Arts Losing Out in D.C. Redevelopment?
- Detroit For Sale?
- Chinese Cities in Desperate Need of Competent Planning
- The Rise of Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing
- What the Feds are Doing to Connect Housing Policy to Health Policy
- Why the Politics of Climate Change Matter
- Waste Disposal Becomes Sexy
- Murky Future for Two of D.C.'s Architectural Gems
- The Story Behind One of the Most Controversial Buildings in the Country
My Storm, Managing the Recovery of New Orleans in the Wake of Katrina is Required Reading for Planners
U Penn Press
Feb 13, 2012
Planetizen Announces New Managing Editor: Jonathan Nettler, AICP
Planetizen
Feb 13, 2012
Volunteerism Plays Critical Role in Reaching World’s Millennium Development Goals
Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University
Feb 10, 2012
www.flickr.com
|
The Sydney C of C Does Not Understand Congestion Pricing
The Sydney Chamber of Commerce comments:
"A congestion tax would be a disaster for businesses and residents, and would do nothing to address the underlying cause of congestion,"
Wrong on both counts.
If you have congestion pricing on all the major arterials of the region, no district will suffer a major loss of business to other districts without congestion pricing. This is an advantage over Central Business District congestion pricing.
An underlying cause of congestion is that, if you give away a scarce and valuable commodity for free, you will create shortages. If we gave away free gasoline or free caviar, we would create shortages. Because we let people drive for free on scarce urban land, we create shortages of land to drive on - commonly called congestion. The Chamber of Commerce should have learned this in Economics 101.
Charles Siegel