Roadpricing in the Netherlands

A story about ups en downs

Wim van Kruiningen

City of Amsterdam

Europrice, 2002 December 13th

A historical view over the last 5 years

• Cabinet 1998-2002• Cabinet July 2002–October 2002• Cabinet : status in demission now• New expected cabinet: starting after

new elections in January 2003

Reasons for Implementation Roadpricing:

• Increasing problems as a result of congestion

• Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht increasingly inaccessible in the morning rush-hour

• National Government plans for implementation of road charges

National traffic and transport planningIntention to implement road charges

Cabinet 1998-2002 plans: • Firstly - implementation of road charges

(2003) • Later - implementation of mileage tax

(2009)

Rush hour charges experiment

• No majority in the parliament for the integrated implementation of road

charges• In 1999 the Minister receives permission to conduct an experiment in the form of rush hour charges

Executive co-operation

• Rush hour charges require co-operation between the various levels of government in the areas to which it will be applied

• The administrators of the northern sector of Rim city (including Amsterdam) were prepared to co-operate on this and then present their plans to their councils

Integrated approach Conditions revenues of co-operation:• Not only rush hour charges• Experiments with pay lanes• Investment in the infrastructure: - Regional and city public transport - Regional road network

- Rail network (high speed trains) • Public and private joint ventures• Mobility fund

Governement Other Authorities

Mobility Fund 113 milion euro 113 milion euroRevenues of road charges 28 milion euro

High way network 304 milion euro136 milion euro54 milion euro

Secundairy roads - N201+ 54 milion euro

Rail - High Speed Train 181 milion euro

Regionet - High quality transport public 181 milion eurosystem

Public Private Co-operation 850 milion euroin state to high way network, public part

Total 1.873 milion euro 141 milion euro

Continuing co-operation between governmental bodies

• Agreement laid down in the convenant • Joint responsibility for implementation• Programme management• Joint project office

Changes since June 2001

• Debate in parliament about the system• External IT experts declare that mileage

tax can be introduced earlier• Cabinet decided to cancel experiment

and begin preparation for implementation of mileage tax

• Plea for a fast-track implementation of mileage tax

How does it work?

GSMUMTSDSRC

Regularly:totall amount + status +….. + signature

Kilometer administration signature

Tax shift: the polluter pays

Variabilisation: fixed fee per kilometer

Differentiation: fee will depending on time and place

Current Taxes• Weight • Fuel type • Fuel usage (VAT)• Catalogue price

of a vehicle• Type of vehicle

Roadpricing• Weight• Fuel type• Fuel usage (VAT)• Type of vehicle• Distance• Location• Time

Timeline on the Roadpricing project

Definition

Implementation

6/2001 1/2002 1/2003 1/2004 1/2005 1/2006 1/2007

Report to parliament

Report to parliament

Production of hard & software law coming into force

Development

Exploitation

operational system oncountry level

Initiate law

Elections and a new Cabinet Period July 2002 – October 2002 • Elections, May 2002 produce great

changes in parliament• New coalition in a the new cabinet• Liberals, Christian Democrats and the

Fortuyn Party are opponents of mileage tax• Decision to scrap the mileage tax project• Reason : the cabinet let first increase the

capacity of the motorways , after that and later on starting Roadpricing

New cabinet resigned in October

2002 • Reason: problems in the coalition with

the Fortuyn party

• New elections in January 2003

The way forward?

• Wait and see exactly what a new cabinet wants• Concentrate effort into implementing the

complementary measures listed in the agreements • In preparation a new national transport en traffic plan

for the new cabinet• First ideas: is thinking about an approach not more

alone Roadpricing on the national motorways but in fixed areas around of in the bigger cities in full co-operation with the local authorities