The Market Works: Congestion Charging Reduces Air Pollution

The London congestion charging scheme (CCS) was successfully implemented in February 2003 and has measurably reduced traffic flows in central London. The air pollution impact of the scheme has been difficult to assess using ambient measurements alone... However, a comprehensive analysis of the impact using detailed traffic data, combined with the Environmental Research Group's road traffic emissions model, has identified a number of important results.

...The evidence presented shows that the congestion charging schemes could assist in attaining both the UK government's targets on air pollution as well as those relating to climate change and other international obligations.

Adam Rogers offers a related and more personal perspective on this story this week in TechTalk, the Planetizen weblog.

Thanks to PreservingtheAmericanDream