During autumn 2005 and spring 2006 there will be several panel surveys following up the travel survey performed autumn 2004 in Stockholm. These are all part of the evaluation plan for the Stockholm trials for improved traffic situation in Stockholm. The trials started on 22 August 2005 with extended public transport and the 3rd of January 2006 the congestion charging started. The trials will be concluded by 31 July 2006. The primary objectives of the trials are to reduce congestion, increase accessibility and improve the environment. The purpose of the (full-scale) trials is to test whether the efficiency of the traffic system can be enhanced by congestion charges. The extended travel surveys will give answers to questions like whether or not the traffic has changed from car to public transport, whether people change their starting time for travelling to work, if they simply change from driving to the inner city to driving elsewhere etc. The surveys will also show which groups in the population change their behaviour and in what way different groups in society adjust to the charges. Results from the travel surveys made autumn 2004 and 2005 show that traffic has not changed from car to public transport during weekdays due to the extended public transport for commuters commuting into the inner city of Stockholm. Nevertheless, some groups of the commuters seem to have started using public transport after the extended public transport. A larger proportion of commuters with medium income, with children, and those born abroad made a public transport trip into or out of the inner city during daytime during weekdays in 2005 compared to 2004. Results revealing the effects of congestion charging on travel patterns will not be available until June 2006 (A). For the covering abstract of the conference see ITRD E212343.
Abstract