The use of existing demand models to assess the effects of the introduction of alternative forms of financing infrastructure in The Netherlands.

In an attempt to address the ever increasing environmental and mobility related problems with existing and forecast traffic congestion levels in The Netherlands a commission Anders Betalen voor Mobiliteit (Alternative ways to pay for mobility) was formed. In 2005 the ABVM commission presented its findings and recommendations relating to the various options available for alternative forms of financing infrastructure projects in The Netherlands. One of the key recommendations of the ABVM commission was to propose a scheme that would partly replace the existing road tax with a fixed price to be paid per kilometer. Despite the introduction of this fixed price per kilometer the necessity to build new additional highway infrastructure remains a key priority for the Dutch government. In order to finance the new proposed infrastructural developments it is still necessary, despite the fixed price per kilometer, to introduce some form of toll pricing. In the so called Nota voor Mobiliteit (The Dutch governments policy position for Transport) which was approved in April 2006, the Dutch government has adopted some of the recommendations put forward by the ABVM commission. In 2006 the Dutch Ministry of Transport and her regional partners have undertaken preliminary research in order to establish which highway schemes couldbe considered for the introduction of a price per kilometer and/or toll schemes. In order to measure the effectiveness of the various recommendations put forward by the ABVM commission relating to alternative ways to finance infrastructure a model exercise was undertaken using one of the Dutch Regional Traffic Models (NRM) for a number of the recommended projects. For five major infrastructure projects a number of road pricing scenarios were modelled with 2020 as a forecast year. A number of road pricing scenarios have been modelled, ranging from a generic toll for the whole of the existing motorway network to a location specific toll for new infrastructureonly. For a selection of the five infrastructure projects additional model work and analysis has been carried out to assess the effect and suitability of the various forms of road pricing to assist in the fast-tracking ofthe financing of these projects. The initial findings of the study demonstrate that the forecasted flows and thus revenue generating capability of the various road pricing strategies for a number of the projects are favourable. One of the infrastructure schemes is described and information is provided relating to the modelling techniques that have been applied and the results generated in the form of a test-case. Key findings of the study relating to the modelling of these relatively new methods of alternative forms of financing infrastructure projects within traditional demand modelsare presented. On the basis or these findings the paper will conclude with some recommendations relating to the suitability of the existing models to model these various alternative methods to finance infrastructure projects. For the covering abstract see ITRD E137145.