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 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 planning Intention to implement road charges Cabinet 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

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? GSM UMTS DSRC 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 6/20011/20021/20031/20041/20051/20061/2007 Report to parliament Production of hard & software law coming into force Development Exploitation operational system on country 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