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Research projects

Project list (1 projects)

Evaluating driver response to road-user charging systems
Grant Holder(s): AD May, PW Bonsall
Investigator(s): P Balmforth, S Gallimore, DS Milne, IA Palmer
Funded by: EPSRC
Dates: 1996-1998
Research Group: POLICY AND APPRAISAL

Abstract

This project sought to examine drivers’ responses to a range of road user charging regimes (eg charges at cordons or proportional to distance travelled, time taken or time spent in congested traffic) and to incorporate the resulting insights into a model which could then be used to estimate the network and revenue impacts of different charge levels and regimes. A range of survey methods were used including a field trial conducted in Newcastle, the Leeds Advanced Driving Simulator, a tailored version of the VLADIMIR route choice simulator and a specially designed questionnaire including attitudinal and stated preference questions. Participants in the field trial and simulator studies were incentivised to behave realistically by having their participation fee reduced by an amount equivalent to any road user charges they incur during the experiments. Results from the data collection phase suggested that, while route diversion and journey rescheduling are significant responses, people are likely (at least in the medium term) to maintain their previous travel patterns even when charges are imposed. The precise response depends on the charge level and regime and we found evidence to suggest that charges based on travel time could engender aggressive driving behaviour. New elasticities and values of time were derived from the survey results and were incorporated into a modified SATURN model which was then used to test the performance of different charging regimes in Leeds, York and Cambridge. The model tests predicted higher revenues and less traffic reduction than had been predicted using conventional elasticities and values of time. The performance and impact of individual schemes was seen to be crucially dependent on the nature of the charging regime and the precise location of any cordons, screenlines or charge area boundaries.