The first two weeks live operation of the Stockholm road user charging scheme in Sweden is described. The scheme went live on 3 January 2006. On the first normal working day after the implementation of the scheme traffic into and out of the city centre during the charging period was reduced by 25%. Traffic on Essingeleden, the through route avoiding the charging area, did not show any increase over the equivalent date in 2005. There was a significant reduction in queuing time in the inner city. The technical system is identifying 93% of vehicles correctly. The impact on public transport appears to be smaller than predicted, but underground and bus services report a 12% increase in passengers in the morning peak. Motorists are obliged to pay their charges within 5 working days of incurring them. Motorists are encouraged to use the autogiro payment facility linked to transponders in vehicles. A referendum on the future of the scheme will be held in September 2006.
Abstract