After some initial opposition, residents of London, England have gotten used to congestion pricing for cars—and the reduced traffic that has resulted.
London's plan initially faced opposition and a legal challenge, but its success has led to widespread acceptance. Many drivers took to traveling at off-peak hours, carpooling, or taking transit after the initiative went into effect.
Between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, drivers entering a 21-square-kilometer zone in Central London are charged $20. The city offers discounts or exemptions for zone residents, people with disabilities, emergency vehicles, motorcycles, and taxis.
Within three years, traffic fell by 15% and congestion—the extra time to make a trip because of impeded traffic flow—was reduced by 30%. Noting the success of congestion pricing in London and other cities including Stockholm, cities worldwide including Singapore, New York, and Vancouver have implemented or are considering congestion pricing.
Related Stories
| Feb 22, 2012
ACI BIM manual for cast-in-place concrete in development
The improved communication, coordination, and collaboration afforded by BIM implementation have already been shown to save time and money in projects.
| Feb 20, 2012
Comment period for update to USGBC's LEED Green Building Program now open
This third draft of LEED has been refined to address technical stringency and rigor, measurement and performance tools, and an enhanced user experience.
| Feb 20, 2012
GAF introduces web portal for architects and specifiers
The new portal offers a clean look with minimal clutter to make it easier to find the technical information and product data that architects need.
| Feb 17, 2012
AGC advocates for federal procurement reform
Ensure that small business goals take into consideration actual small business capacity in relevant specialty markets.
| Feb 17, 2012
Codes not to blame for Anchorage roof collapses following heavy snows
Design or construction problems likely contributed to the collapses, according to city officials.
| Feb 17, 2012
Comment period opens March 1 for LEED 2012 update
USGBC says that LEED's strength comes from its continuous evolution.
| Feb 17, 2012
OSHA training videos on proper respirator use available online
17 short videos to help workers learn about the proper use of respirators on the job.
| Feb 17, 2012
Union/employer collaboration on the rise aimed at exceeding OSHA safety standards
Unions have learned to help employers win contracts with bids made competitive through good safety practices.
| Feb 16, 2012
Gain greater agility and profitability with ArchiCAD BIM software
White paper was written with the sole purpose of providing accurate, reliable information about critical issues related to BIM and what ArchiCAD with advanced technology such as the GRAPHISOFT BIM Server provide as an answer to address these issues.
