[sustran] Re: FW: TfL Press release - Congestion Charge Scheme (CCS) - summary of week five

[Alan Patrick Howes]

Good point, Kirk. Even in the UK it's doubtful how transferable London's experience is. London has a comprehensive, planned PT system - even if it is a little frayed at the edges. And something over 80% of commute trips to the CBD were already by public transport. No other UK city can match either of those qualities - I doubt anywhere else exceeds 30% on the modal split.

In much of the world outside Europe a lot could be achieved by simply raising motor fuel prices - provided, of course, that the political will is there. The revenue raised should, of course, go to improving transit, thus reducing global oil dependency - the ill-effects of which are only too obvious at this time.

UK prices (US$ 1.18 per litre for standard unleaded gasoline) were already among the highest in Europe, which are in turn among the highest in the world - I think.

http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/fuel/motfue001.html gives a comparison of European (and US) road fuel prices - does anyone know a source of similar information for the rest of the world? (Prices here are about 21% of the UK level.)

--
Alan P Howes, Special Transport Advisor,
     Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department
aphowes at dm.gov.ae
http://vgn.dm.gov.ae/DMEGOV/dm-mp-transportation
Tel:    +971 4 286 1616 ext 214
Mobile: +971 50 5989661

-----Original Message-----
From: Kirk Bendall [mailto:kennaughkb at yahoo.com.au]
Sent: Tue, 25 March, 2003 04:43
To: sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org
Subject: [sustran] Re: FW: TfL Press release - Congestion Charge Scheme (CCS) - summary of week five


Hello,
I think London has taken the key step. Transferability to cities outside Europe will vary. In Australian cities I don't think the CBD congestion  is near London levels, and transit capacity is constrained. 
Political acceptqnce will probably take some time to achieve - probably not until similiar geographic and population size cities have done so successfully. 
regards, 

kirk Bendall 

Illawarra/Shoalhaven Transport Development Officer 


 Paul Barter <geobpa at nus.edu.sg> wrote: 
Dear Sustran-discussers

Here is some news about London's Congestion Charge Scheme (CCS) so far.
How do you all feel about the relevance of London's (and Singapore's
etc) experience with congestion charging/road pricing for middle-income
cities elsewhere? 

Paul