Congestion charge impacts on air quality
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This variable page was created for the purpose of the Congestion charge assessment.
Question
Do congestion charges affect the air quality in the cities? What are the impacts of different congestion charge schemes on air quality?
Boundaries
The question can be applied in general, but for the purpose of the Congestion charge assessment the boundaries are set by the Helsinki city limits. The impacts of congestion charges take into account the current situations - available knowledge and can be updated.
Answer
There is evidence from several cities that congestion charges have improved air quality.
Rationale
There was a 15% reduction in total road use in Stockholm in 2006 congestion charge scheme, leading to the reduction of NOx emissions by 8.5% and PM10 decrease for 13% [1]. There was also a significant reduction of NOx, PM10 and CO2 emissions in London, after they have introduced a congestion pricing scheme [2], [3]. On the other hand, stationary traffic can result in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants which negatively affect the air quality [4]. Still, if the traffic flows are reduced, the pollutant emission also decrease over time [5]. Study in Stockholm showed that in case the congestion pricing in Stockholm wouldn’t have taken place in 2006-2010, then, during the same period, the air would have been 5-10% more polluted which would lead to a 45% increase in asthma attacks in young children [6]. The congestion charge scheme in London had only initially reduced the traffic flow, then the levels were increased again [7], besides, a report from 2011 showed that there hasn’t been a great improvement to the air quality in London due to congestion charge scheme [8].
See also
Keywords
Congestion charge, air quality, impacts, Helsinki
References
Related files
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