The Grattan Institute says Australia’s capital cities are ready to implement congestion charging.
Transport and cities program director Marion Terrill suggests Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth “join many great cities of the world” by tolling motorists for using the “busiest roads at the busiest times”.
Terrill says a “modest cordon” implemented by respective state governments could reduce traffic by as much as 40% in the CBDs during morning peak.
She also advises average travel speeds on CBD roads would improve 16% and up to 20% faster on major arterial such as Melbourne’s Monash Freeway, Sydney’s M4 or Brisbane’s Stanley Street freeway exit.
Terrill describes a “modest charge comparable to what you’d pay on public transport” would also see network-wide improvements several kilometres from the CBD.
“In the next five years state governments should introduce cordon charges around the CBD of the largest cities, which would mean paying to go into the CBD in morning peak and pay to leave in the afternoon,” Terrill explains.
“In the following five years we’re recommending charges on key arteries and urban freeways, so people pay to use them in peak periods,” she continues.
“Eventually we recommend network-wide distance-based charging at the busiest times of the day,” she adds.
Terrill says the idea of a cordon slugging those least able to afford it wouldn’t necessarily be the case.
“These fears are overblown – most people working in the city earn higher incomes than those working in other parts of the city,”
“People who drive to work in the CBD earn higher incomes again, which is why most people do take public transport to work in the CBD,” she points out.
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