Introduction
The congestion of the roads in massive cities is one of the most problematic issues the administration of various countries strives to solve. The congestion pricing system was invented to solve this issue by making some roads payable. The city is divided into zones, and the lowest and highest fares are set in each of them. If the average occupancy becomes small, the price per street is lowered, and if the occupancy is large, the price rises. Thus, traffic is distributed as evenly as possible. However, the implementation of the congestion chargers has many significant problems. The most problematic issues include public rejection due to the inequality of the low and high-income residents and the effect of the congestion pricing limitations on the business supply. Auckland in New Zealand has high traffic on the central streets, which always causes congestion. Like any other substantial urban unit’s administration, this city should consider implementing congestion pricing. This system can help decrease the congestion on the streets, raise money, and improve the air pollution situation. This essay will argue for the benefits of the implementation of traffic congestion chargers in Auckland City.
Arguments
The low cost of empty streets encourages drivers to choose from and avoid congestion on the road. At the entrances to all city areas, some gates scan the module under the windshield. It creates a more conscious driving culture that focuses on creating pricing system expenditures that do not significantly differ from the annual fuel price (Isaken & Johansen, 2021). The public acceptability of the suggested measures may be poor. Many people can be against such innovations due to their low income and the readiness to spend money on road-crossing. Without understanding the positive impact of the congestion charges on traffic, the citizens can consider such actions as a method for the administration to raise additional money. However, based on the recent literature reviews of the practical implementation of congestion chargers, the researchers discovered that public acceptance increased by 20 to 70 percent after introducing the system (Cheng et al., 2019). It is caused by the public’s realization of the practical efficiency of the system.
Implementing traffic congestion pricing has another advantage in encouraging people to change the gasoline and diesel cars to electric ones. The congestion pricing policy is applied only to gasoline and diesel vehicles (Isaken & Johansen, 2021). Electric cars are free of charge and have practically no limitations. Such a decision improves the general air quality in particular districts and the city. However, it can negatively affect the business placed in minimal city regions. The supply chain can be significantly damaged because the suppliers usually use cheaper transport on gas or diesel. In other words, there will be significant delays in supply for various businesses due to the implementation of the congestion chargers. On the other hand, despite the delays, the estimated positive effect of the usage of fossil flues transport by households (Isaken & Johansen, 2021). If congestion pricing is implemented, for example, in Auckland, the administration can strive to decrease the rural number of business-involved gas and diesel transport. Such inclination can reduce the level of air pollution.
Lastly, the imposing of traffic congestion charges can significantly decrease the level of air pollution. Auckland has many various congestion-related issues, such as narrow roads resulting in a higher risk of the distribution of pollutants (Dirks et al., 2021). Therefore, the pricing policy should limit the streets with a high level of congestion to decrease the emissions of pollutants. The implementation of such a system significantly increases the level of inequality. Such a situation is caused by the fact that people of higher income benefit from the limitations. The literature overviews on this topic highlight the need to address the inequality related to congestion charges to avoid damaging the socio-demographic groups and prevent implementation failure (Cheng et al., 2018). For example, the trial acceptance procedure of this system should include the administration’s efforts on equity considerations, which can ensure the rational distribution of access to particular roads (Cheng et al., 2918). In other words, the problem should be solved at the level of each specific city. Considering Auckland’s context, the increasing cost for each new visit to the paying territory can be offered. The method requires significant actions to minimize the gap between low and high-income drivers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, imposing congestion charges in any urban city is a favorable decision for improving the quality of the city’s roads, traffic, and air population. Despite problems such as public acceptance, business supply delays, and income-based inequality, congestion pricing is still a valuable instrument. As is shown in the analysis above, the losses of businesses and other minor problems are compensated by the positive effects of congestion pricing. The imposing of the traffic congestion chargers was analyzed based on the urban cities’ inquiries suitable for Auckland. The quality of life in such a massive city as Auckland can be improved by implementing this road limitation system. Although the authorities will face public rejection, accurate pre-planning can help minimize dissatisfaction. The problems mentioned in the paper should be addressed effectively in planning the congestion pricing improvement. Therefore, the positive effect of this system is valuable despite some problems. The implementation of the congestion charges can, in the future, significantly help Auckland to overcome the issue of pollution and traffic jams.
References
Cheng, Q., Gu, Z., Liu, Z., & Saberi, M. (2018). Congestion pricing practices and public acceptance: A review of evidence. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 6(1), 94–101.
Cheng, Q., Liu, Z., Selmoune, A., & Wang, L. (2019). Influencing factors in congestion pricing acceptability: A literature review. Journal of Advanced Transportation, 2020, 1–11.
Dirks, K., Rafiepourgatabi, M., Salmond, J., & Woodward, A. (2021). Socioeconomic status and route characteristics in relation to children’s exposure to air pollution from road traffic while walking to school in Auckland, New Zealand. Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9).
Isaken, E., & Johansen, B. (2021). Congestion pricing, air pollution, and individual-level behavioral response. Oslo University, Department of Economics Memorandum, Compilations, 1. Web.