A Change in the Policy Climate? Current European Perspectives on Road Pricing

Abstract

The paper traces changes in attitudes towards road pricing in the European Community, both on the part of politicians and the general public and its representative organisations (e.g. consumer associations), across the range of member states and their geographical neighbours. It identifies the development of a European 'congestion consciousness' and considers the role of pan-European technology initiatives in shaping this consciousness. Particular attention is given to the important role played by municipalities in taking forward road-pricing initiatives, and of the need to take account of public concerns relating to the implementation of urban road pricing. The functional role played by the blurring between congestion pricing and road tolling is also discussed. The paper examines the ways in which road-pricing policy developments in one member state, and the associated technological developments, produce the conditions for the up-take of road pricing as a policy issue in another country (i.e. in line with domino theory).