The car has become an article of dress without which we feel uncertain, unclad, and incomplete in the urban compound. – Marshall McLuhan
Road user charging is a hot topic in the transport world, and for good reason.
As cities grapple with the twin challenges of congestion and sustainable mobility, putting a price on road use is increasingly seen as a powerful tool for shaping travel behaviour and optimising our transport systems.
Way back in 2000, I co-hosted a conference, ‘Road Pricing Agenda’, and it seems little has progressed in the quarter of a century since then – it’s just too hard!
Road Pricing: A Key Tool for Sustainable Urban Mobility?
Road user charging is a controversial but increasingly common strategy for managing transport demand in cities worldwide. The basic idea is simple: by putting a price on road use, especially during peak times or in congested areas, we can incentivise more efficient use of street space and encourage shifts to transit, walking, cycling and other sustainable modes.
There are many different flavours of road pricing, from cordon charges to enter a defined area (as in London and Stockholm) to per-kilometre distance charges (as in Singapore) to dynamic pricing that varies based on congestion levels. Advances in camera and GPS technology have made these schemes more technically and financially feasible than ever.
But road pricing is far from a silver bullet. Any scheme must be carefully designed to advance clear transport goals while addressing very real equity concerns. Charges are inherently regressive, so discounts, exemptions and alternatives for lower-income travellers are essential. Political champions must also articulate a compelling vision for how revenues will be reinvested to benefit communities.
As more cities consider road pricing, you can consider it as one important tool in a larger demand management toolbox – not a standalone solution. Integrated with transit and active transport investments, shared mobility options, and smart land use policies, road pricing can be a powerful catalyst for more sustainable urban mobility. But it must be approached with care, transparency and a commitment to justice.