Currently, traffic and transportation are frequently provided as a market commodity. As a consequence, the costs connected to the provision of the traffic system are paid by its actual users. The concept of pricing seems to be both legitimate and efficient. However, the central issue in this paper is whether products in the traffic system actually can be compared to a sausage at the butchers. Do these commodities have the same economic characteristics? The authors argue that the market of `traffic commodities' lacks the transparency to identify either beneficiaries and paying individuals. In other words: is it possible to adopt a system where the payer is actually demanding? Because of its complexity it is questionable whether the actual introduction of a pricing policy in traffic and transportation can be valued positively. This question becomes even more actual when the criteria used by the Dutch Council for Transport, Public Works and Water Management in its recently presented advice "More market, different government" (In Dutch: "Meer markt, andere overheid") are used as a benchmark: does society profit from pricing; and is the administration fit to a new role of market superintendent? In conclusion, contemplation and small scale experiments seem to be necessary. (A)
Samenvatting