This paper presents some further results of a study of road pricing, or road user charging, using very detailed models. It first considers some very simple example networks, to obtain an insight into the expected benefits of delay-based road pricing in the simplest cases. It then presents some further simple examples, to illustrate the interaction (1) between road pricing and multiple vehicle classes with differing values of time; and (2) between delay-based road pricing and traffic signal control. The results of a study of road pricing in Cambridge, England, using the SATURN and CONTRAM network models, are compared with corresponding results recently obtained in a continuing study at York, England. continuing study at York, England. It was found that delay-based charging gave the best overall results in both these tests. Additional results are given for road pricing and traffic control in York, using the delay-based charging system only. The results concern the whole network, and consider the following control methods: (1) the PO responsive control policy; (2) fixed-time signal settings; and (3) the responsive control policy implemented in standard CONTRAM. Effects on travel time, total queuing time, and speed are considered, together with overall pricing/control results.
Abstract