Territorial Review Copenhagen - Region Hovedstaden

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types entering the central Congestion Charge Zone was consistently 16% lower
in 2006 than the pre-charge levels in 2002. TfL also reported improvement of air
quality in the zone. TfL‘s annual report for 2006-7 shows that revenues from the
congestion charge were GBP 252.4 million over the financial year (8.5% of
TfL‘s annual revenue). It spent more than half the revenue on the operating costs
of the charging system. After deducting the operating costs and the other
charges, net income was GBP 89.1 million. Law requires that the TfL spend all
net income raised through the charge on reinvestment in London‘s transportation
infrastructure. The TfL invested about 80% of net income in bus network
improvements. As a result, new routes were introduced and existing routes
extended, and frequency of service increased. As a result, bus use increased in
the central London Area.
From October 2008, the GLA will introduce a completely new charging
structure. The new system will charge cars based on potential CO 2 vehicle
emissions. Cars and certain pickup trucks will be charged GBP 25 a day, while
low-emission cars will be free of charge.
Stockholm: Stockholm introduced a congestion charge on a permanent basis
in August 2007, after a seven-month trial period between January 2006 and July
2006. The charged area covers Stockholm City Centre. The trial was successful,
with reduced traffic and improved air quality. Before the national government
made this decision, municipal governments held a referendum regarding the
permanent introduction of the congestion charge. The result in the municipality
of Stockholm was 53% support for the charge. However, the surrounding
municipalities unanimously disapproved of the introduction of the charge,
voting against it by between 54.1% and 70.4%. Many residents in the
surrounding municipalities commuted to the congestion charge area and were
heavily influenced by the charge. After the referendum, the government took the
result in the municipality of Stockholm into consideration and implemented the
congestion charge.
The national government introduced the congestion charge as a tax and has
managed the revenue. The government will use the revenue entirely for new
road construction in and around the Stockholm area, including the construction
of a new major bypass road, while the government spent all the revenue on
public transport in Stockholm during the trial period.
Norway: Congestion pricing in Norway is different from that in London and
Stockholm, and is levied as tolls in the main corridors ―ring road‖ rather than as
an area-based charge. Though it was initially intended to raise revenue to
finance the ring road, it created the same impact as a congestion charge. The
revenue has also provided funds for improvements in public transport and
environmental projects.
Singapore: Singapore has the world‘s most sophisticated and long-standing
congestion charge system, thanks to the small geographic area of the city state
(42 kilometres east to west and 23 kilometres north to south) and to the strong
political will of the dominant political party. The fare is automatically charged
depending on the time, place and vehicle type. This is the most developed type