Effectively tackle vehicle pollution

In 2008, Italy's first traffic charge named 'Ecopass' was launched in Milan in an attempt to reduce road congestion and pollution levels as well as to boost public transport through the re-investment of the pollution charge revenues.
January 25, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
In 2008, Italy's first traffic charge named 'Ecopass' was launched in Milan in an attempt to reduce road congestion and pollution levels as well as to boost public transport through the re-investment of the pollution charge revenues. Transport economist Cosimo Chiffi outlines the success of the project.

Background

The metropolitan area of Milan comprises around 4 million inhabitants and is the centre of the polycentric Lombardy region. Milan also has one of the highest rates of car ownership in the world, with 550 cars recorded per 1,000 citizens at the end of 2009. The high reliance on car use for travel in Milan, together with adverse geoclimatic conditions, results in high pollution levels.

In January 2008 the Mayor of Milan, Letizia Moratti, launched the Ecopass programme, a traffic pollution charge implemented as an urban toll for certain motorists travelling within a designated traffic restricted zone corresponding to the historic central area called Cerchia dei Bastioni, which covers around 8.2 km2.

The charging scheme is controlled by 43 toll gates, from 7.30am to 7.30pm, Monday to Friday. Ecopass is not a congestion pricing programme, like those implemented in London and Stockholm, but rather a variation of these: it was designed with the aim of targeting and charging the most polluting vehicles only, while drivers of green vehicles (cng, lpg, electric and hybrid) pay nothing and residents have some special rates.

Tariffs depend on the engine emission class by type of vehicle. For instance, car drivers pay 10 for a day ticket if they own an Euro 0 diesel car; but only €2 for Euro 1, 2 gasoline cars. The system is based on Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology. Cameras installed at each gate read plates so that the corresponding pollution standard is recorded and the charge is calculated.

Costs and benefits 2008-2009

The operating costs involved in implementing the Ecopass programme in the first year were around €6.5 million, while revenues were around €11.5 million, made up of Ecopass payments only. However, the real benefits to Milan were derived from reducing congestion and pollution through the program.

On average, car trips entering the city centre decreased by 14.4%, in the first year after the introduction of Ecopass. This was clearly reflected in a reduction of PM10 (-23%) and CO2 (-15%) inside the charging area. Car traffic outside of the central area also decreased, by 3.4%. There was a societal benefit through better takeup of public transport in the city: the Milanese public transport company registered a pronounced increase in passengers using the Metro (+6.2%) but also in total on the whole network in the area (+5.7%).

Project:
Cut traffic pollution and congestion in Milan, Italy

Operating Cost 2008-2009:
€6.5 million approx

Benefits:(first year)
•Toll revenues €11.5 million in 2008
•14.4% fewer car trips in target area
•Pollution cut by 23% PM10 and 15% CO2
•Increased use of public transport
•Dramatic increase in green vehicle useIn 2010 the pollution charging system started to lose its benefit over time because of the renewal of the vehicle fleet. Now, 80 per cent of the vehicles entering the traffic restricted zone do not have to pay any charge because they meet the required air quality standard. This has reduced the toll revenues to €10 million in 2009 and around €8 million in 2010, and the level of congestion has therefore increased by 1.8 per cent during the first 6 months of 2010 compared to the previous period in 2009.

The real benefit of the Ecopass programme was that it directly caused traffic composition to be modified. As expected, there has been a dramatic shift in the number of vehicles entering the charging area from tolled to toll-exempted vehicles: the most polluting vehicles now account for only 17 per cent, as against 47 per cent in 2008.

Looking to the future

In November 2010, an Advisory Committee nominated by the Municipality has suggested to follow the example of London: all vehicles entering the charging zone should have to pay a charge of €4 or even more.

Charging, Tolling & RUC

Related Content

  • Mileage based charging offers secure future for funding
    August 10, 2016
    HNTB’s Matthew Click sets out why a move to mileage-based pricing is inevitable. Infrastructure is the most neglected yet the most critical engine of our society, and our continued indifference could lead to a dystopian future. Our roads, bridges and highways have been largely passed by in the digital age—marginalised in an era when funding is limited and stewardship of physical assets has given way to our preoccupation with technological innovation and data—the stuff of the virtual realm.
    Read More
  • Commuting habits come under scrutiny
    March 28, 2017
    Cities have a moral responsibility to encourage the smart use of transportation and Andrew Bardin Williams hears a few suggestions. Given the choice of getting a root canal, doing household chores, filing taxes, eating anchovies or commuting to work, nearly two-thirds of Americans said that they wouldn’t mind commuting into work—at least according to a poll conducted by Xerox (now Conduent) over its social media channels at the end of 2016.
    Read More
  • The Middle East takes lead in urban mobility
    November 24, 2017
    Ralf Baron, Thomas Kuruvilla, Morsi Berguiga, Michael Zintel, Joseph Salem and Mario Kerbage from Arthur D. Little explain why there is much to be learned from the Middle East about the rapid evolution of transport systems. The rapid urbanisation across the globe is leading to mobility challenges as cities struggle to ensure their populations can move around freely using both public and private transport. Solving these issues is critical to ensuring that cities thrive and attract the investment and
    Read More
  • Widest bridge in the world Port Mann open in Vancouver
    April 25, 2013
    Port Mann Bridge, designed to growing regional congestion and improve the movement of people, goods and transit throughout greater Vancouver, is now open for business. The widest bridge in the world, the Port Mann Bridge located in the metro Vancouver area, in British Columbia, Canada, features an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system, also called All Electronic Tolling (AET), which will ultimately cross all 10 lanes of traffic.
    Read More

Highlighted Content