Equity issues and road pricing tools: empirical evidence

Abstract

The consideration of equity issues in the transport sector is a key element for planning and providing mobility services. Scientific literature on this topic concerns different aspects and the Author provides a reading lens which focuses on economic tools to consider social acceptance in terms of equity issues in the transport field. For this purpose the paper presents some recent scientific contributions on road pricing used around the world, with a particular attention on how it influences transportation policy and planning decisions. Further, the paper illustrates the empirical results of transport users’ attitudes and the measure of the probability of accepting a road pricing scheme. The Random Utility Model (R.U.M.) is used for estimation purposes with attitudinal data obtained with a survey. The underlying idea is to capture useful and significant determinants of those potential road pricing payers who would accept a wider and more integrated transport system, one that encourages the use of public transport, thus reducing private car use through the consideration of equity issues. Therefore, this research paper contributes to individuating the key variables that affect transportation equity analysis by assessing the validity of transport economic tools. The paper shows how equity in the transport field can be reached, how impacts of road pricing schemes are considered and measured, and how the people categorized can significantly affect economic and social results. The results indicates that there is a willingness to pay for road use if it is part of an integrated fiscal system which supports compensation for collective modes. Further research can identify the exact policy mix of different tools.