The Leicester Environmental Road Tolling Scheme (LERTS) is the first trial to demonstrate road tolling in the UK, and is being sponsored by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). This £3.5M scheme aims to examine the impact of road tolling on car travel, encourage more use of public transport, and improve environmental conditions in Leicester. This paper outlines the scheme and presents some initial findings from its evaluation. Most of the cost of the scheme was used to provide transport infrastructure, including a purpose-built park-and-ride site, a dedicated bus service, and some linked junction improvements. An electronic road tolling system has been specified which applies tolling charges to road users, and allows smart cards to be used to pay tolls and park-and-ride bus fares. Some tolling scenarios will be related to predicted or measured air quality levels in the Leicester area. A survey of drivers was conducted to achieve an understanding of underlying travel patterns; those drivers who regularly drove to work were recruited to the trial, which tested several tolling scenarios. Results are given on participants' response to road tolling with respect to timing of commuter journeys, travel mode, effect of final walking distance, and influence of parking payment on journeys.
Abstract