Cardiff rules out introducing congestion charge

In August 2012, I wrote that Cardiff City Council, Wales, was investigating whether congestion pricing might have merit for the city, both to reduce congestion, and help fund transport infrastructure including improved public transport.  Given that discussion about urban congestion charging in the UK virtually died after the Manchester congestion charge referendum in 2008, it seemed promising that another city was starting to reopen discussion.  Councillor Ralph Cook said that officials had been asked to examine the merits of the idea.

However, it wasn't to be.  Wales Online now reports that Cardiff City Council "categorically rules out" introducing a congestion charge.

The report says:

having since received a paper form council officers on the controversial proposal, Coun Cook said he had “reached the conclusion that a congestion charge will not be introduced by this administration”

Such a report ought to be interesting.

Politicians are climbing over the issue, with the usually pro-environmentalism Liberal Democrats firmly against the idea.  Labour (which leads the Council) simply said it was having an open mind about all of the possible options but had no plans.

I hope to be able to source any publicly available material on this and republish it here, to see what thinking was behind what appears to be a bureaucratic rather than purely political rejection of congestion charging for Cardiff.

Cardiff Council considering congestion charging

(No I didn't simply try to create alliteration)

I wrote last year about a proposal from the Cardiff Civic Society for the Welsh capital to introduce congestion pricing, and I believed it was highly unlikely.  Indeed, beyond London, attempts to introduce congestion charging in other UK cities (notably Edinburgh and Manchester) have floundered due to widespread opposition (excluding the tiny Durham charge which is about protecting the small historic centre).   Cardiff will face the same issues of public acceptability.

Wales Online reports that Cardiff City Councillor Ralph Cook has said that Council officers have been asked to examine the merits of the idea.

The report indicates that a Cardiff congestion charge is likely to only apply at peak times and he is promoting the idea of only charging "out of town" motorists, suggesting a rather large cordon surrounding the city to capture long distance commuters. 

The purpose of the charge is apparently open, with one suggestion that it could help pay for maintaining the road network (which would mean a reduction in council tax (a tax on residents)) or pay for improved public transport.   Frankly, I think this is at the crux of the issue of public support.   

The biggest issue for most people facing congestion charging is "what am I paying for".  Toll roads that are new are accepted because they are new and motorists perceive they are using what they are paying for.   However, charging existing roads is problematic.  Giving Cardiff residents a cut in other taxes would make a big difference.

The politics are curious.  In the local elections a few months ago the Labour Party won back control of Cardiff Council from the Liberal Democrats.  Labour is promoting the idea, but the Liberal Democrats oppose it, even though the Liberal Democrats tend to be seen as the most pro-environment, pro-public transport and anti-car (the central government manifesto in 2010 pushed for a big cut in road spending to be redirected to public transport). 

Opposition is based on two points:

-  Local businesses will be harmed; and

-  Public transport isn't good enough as an alternative (an argument that is floated more often than it is valid).

A further report from Wales Online quotes "Professor Stuart Cole, from the University of Glamorgan’s Transport Centre".  He claims that it "wont work" without public transport, and that it can't be justified for revenue alone.  He also says that it would otherwise push employment to Swindon and Bristol and other cities on the main M4 motorway corridor towards London.

Really?

In itself, if it is imposed as an additional charge, he has a point.  The likelihood is that Cardiff will be seen as less attractive, especially if the money raised does not go into improving the highway network in ways that offset it.  The big risk for any city introducing congestion pricing is perception, rather than reality.  Yet of course it could raise more revenue and reduce congestion.  The goals are not mutually exclusive, rather they affect the level of pricing.  Revenue maximisation and traffic flow optimisation levels are unlikely to be the same. 

However, will it not work without more public transport?  Well this is an oft-repeated claim, because it is believed that those deterred from driving must all shift onto public transport.  This simply isn't true.   It remains a serious myth that those who used to drive into central London now mostly ride the bus.   This notion is patently absurd, as the sheer cost of parking in central London was such that it is highly unlikely that the demographic who drove would choose to ride on buses, which are significantly slower than driving.

According to research by Transport for London, what happens is more complex (see Table A.2).

Around 54% of motorists shifted to public transport, but 8% shifted to active modes, taxis or sharing rides with others.  Around 23% diverted their trips to avoid the charging area (using ring roads rather than cutting through centres).  Another 8% simply drove less frequently (took less trips) and 7% drove at different times.

A peak time only scheme is more likely to significantly increase the change in travel times.  For public transport, with congestion charging there would be more road space for buses, and the demand for private and the Council owned commercial Cardiff Bus operation to expand services.  Cardiff's suburban commuter rail service is already earmarked to be electrified in the next decade or so, providing ample scope for additional capacity.  

Yet there is unlikely to be much support from the public.  A local TV news bulletin indicates a great deal of scepticism. Certainly without either promising better roads or reduced other taxes, it is unlikely most motorists would support it.

Conclusion

Whether or not Cardiff benefits from a congestion charge depends on:

-  The design of the scheme:  The more likely it targets congestion where and when it happens, rather than be a blanket simple charge, the more likely it is to improve the city's competitiveness;

-  What is done with the money:  A significant proportion of any revenue either needs to go on improved roads or is recycled into council tax cuts.

A badly designed scheme used to direct revenue into politically totemic transport projects is unlikely to improve the competitiveness of the Cardiff economy, but a tightly defined one that is used to reduce other taxes or spend on long deferred (objectively) high value transport projects may do so.

 To do that, it actually needs to reflect on the experiences of more cities than London.

Cardiff congestion charge? No, not yet

Cardiff in Wales is not typically seen as a large city with a chronic traffic congestion problem. It has a population of around 340,000. The car is the dominant mode, but it does have an extensive bus network and diesel suburban passenger rail system.

However, Wales Online has reported that the Cardiff Civic Society has a long term vision for the city which it claims will make it more desirable. It proposes that central Cardiff be car free and that a congestion charge be imposed over as much as half of the area of metropolitan Cardiff bounded by the city’s bypass roads. It wants the city’s ring road to be finished, a park and ride network to be established and a light rail system. The objective is clearly focused on shifting transport in the city away from cars, but is also concerned about a so-called “zero Carbon” goal of reducing CO2 emissions (quite how it gets to zero is more intriguing).

View Cardiff congestion charge and car-free zones in a larger map

It is ambitious indeed, it expects a reduction in traffic in the charged area by about 25-30%, dependent in part on improvements to public transport to meet the park and ride system. The assumption is clearly based on the reductions in car traffic experienced at the start of the London congestion charge, so would need some more thought.

Responses have been mostly negative, as people “don’t understand how it could work” or believe a new road and light rail would relieve congestion anyway. However a former top city planner thinks the ideas are “profoundly thoughtful”.

As much as I am supportive of the ambitious, it is clear this has little political traction in the current economic environment. The Guardian reports that Council Leader Rodney Berman opposes it, largely because it wouldn’t get public support, but also because he believes that “At best these proposals are fanciful, but at worst they could have a disastrous effect on the economic viability of the city centre”. He obviously believes car access is important to the city, and that if it is that severely constrained, it will chase business away. If any charge is introduced as new revenue, without cutting other taxes, he may have a point, particularly in the current climate.

Some details would need to be considered. Firstly, whether the charge is an area charge (meaning all movements within it are charged) or cordon (leaving people within the area to drive as much as the like, as long as they don’t leave), as this will effect whether residents would need a discount (as large areas of suburban Cardiff would be affected). I might dare to say that the proposed idea is far too blunt for Cardiff, and that it may be better to start with such a charge in the area proposed for being car free. That would not make a lot of money, but it would reduce congestion and may prove the concept to locals. Beyond that, and I think a less blunt charge, which may have different zones or charge for distance, may be fairer and more effective.

It could also be more acceptable if there was clarity that net revenues from a congestion charge helped pay for the completion of the ring road, and perhaps offset other taxes.

This blog doesn’t exist to argue about the other transport components of the package, but I will give the Cardiff Civic Society credit for courage. For a UK association to propose congestion charging for a city in the current economic climate, and a political climate so hostile to the idea generally, is brave. Whilst I may argue over the details and may disagree with other parts of the package, it at least shows some strategic thinking about what might be done. However, I doubt Cardiff will see congestion charging for at least another ten years.