Urban Congestion: A European Perspective on Theory and Practice

Posted: 5 Nov 2011

See all articles by A. D. May

A. D. May

University of Leeds

C. A. Nash

University of Leeds

Date Written: November 1996

Abstract

Abstract Growing urban transport congestion is a major cause of environmental problems, as well as delays. One may argue that this is a classic problem of externalities and can be readily corrected by means of the price mechanism. However, although interest is increasing in pricing as an element in any solution, the answer is not so easy. Despite the falling cost of microelectronics, urban road pricing remains complex, expensive to administer, and politically controversial. Nevertheless, modeling exercises and limited practical experience suggest that most, if not all, of these problems can now be overcome and that road pricing may now be successfully implemented. But the continued opposition to road pricing makes consideration of the alternatives necessary. Indeed, both for political and economic reasons, road pricing appears much more likely to be successfully implemented as part of a package of measures than in isolation.

Suggested Citation

May, A. D. and Nash, C. A., Urban Congestion: A European Perspective on Theory and Practice (November 1996). Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, Vol. 21, pp. 239-260, 1996, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1954345 or http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.energy.21.1.239

A. D. May (Contact Author)

University of Leeds

Leeds, LS2 9JT
United Kingdom

C. A. Nash

University of Leeds

Leeds, LS2 9JT
United Kingdom

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