French Cities Consider Congestion Charges

***hkskyline*** · December 6th, 2006, 02:49 AM

France mulls London-style vehicle congestion charge for cities

PARIS, Nov 13, 2006 (AFP) - France is considering slapping a tax on vehicles entering Paris and other major cities to cut pollution and traffic jams, similar to the congestion charge already in effect in London, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said Monday.

Transport Minister Dominique Perben has been charged with studying the idea as part of a government push for durable development, Villepin told reporters after a ministerial meeting on the issue.

The task force will look at several options, "such as implementing urban tolls or new parking management systems," and will report back by April 2007, Villepin said.

Any changes would be made with an eye to "not penalising those who have no other choice than living far from the city centres where they work," he said.

London introduced a congestion charge on vehicles entering its centre in February 2003.

Cars going into the designated area have to pay a fee of eight pounds (12 euros, 15 dollars) or risk a fine of at least 50 pounds from the array of automated cameras watching the roads.

Municipal authorities say traffic has dropped 15 percent since the charge was brought in, but some shopowners have complained about less business.

Singapore has also introduced a form of city tax for vehicles, and Milan, San Francisco and Stockholm are thinking about following suit.

sydney_lad · December 7th, 2006, 06:24 AM

Good idea.

Hope we do it here too.

***Minato ku*** · December 7th, 2006, 08:24 AM

Politics don't like this

I love this
It is very funny

eusebius · December 7th, 2006, 10:03 AM

Every major city in Europe deserves its own Red Ken. And even when history would prove it's rather a Red Herring, well, at least we tried!

brisavoine · December 7th, 2006, 02:28 PM

The problem is where to set the border of this congestion charge zone in Paris. The government would like to levy the tax on all vehicles entering the City of Paris, i.e. the congestion charge zone would have the same dimension as the City of Paris. Local politicians are completely opposed to this. Not only is the City of Paris much larger than the congestion charge zone in London (105 km² for the City of Paris vs 21 km² for the congestion charge zone in London), which makes such a large area a bit meaningless for a congestion charge scheme (the 2.1 million residents of the City of Paris would be for the most part exempt from the tax), but above all such a measure would reinforce the isolation of the city proper of Paris from its suburbs.

Local politicians are more in favor of a congestion charge to enter only the most central arrondissements. The congestion charge zone would correspond only to arrondissements 1 to 10 for example, an area covering 23 km², almost the same dimension as the London congestion charge zone.

Another government project is to put a tax on the suburban freeways and not inside the City of Paris. As you can see, at the moment there's no clear policy, it's a bit of a mess. I doubt anything will happen before the presidential election, and I also doubt anything will happen at all after the presidential election. People will never accept this.

I also don't think that a congestion charge is appropriate for a city like Paris, whose density is so much higher than London's. For example, even if the congestion charge zone was limited only to arrondissements 1 to 10, there are still 455,000 residents within the 23 km² of these 10 arrondissements, so that means that 455,000 people would be for the most part exempt from the tax, whereas in London there are only 136,000 people who live within the 21 km² of the congestion charge zone.

Another idea flaunted by local politicians is to have a congestion charge zone covering only arrondissements 1 to 4 on the right bank of Paris. This would cover only 5.6 km² with 104,000 residents in it. This sounds like a typical useless Green Party proposition serving no other purpose than ensuring the tranquility of those people privileged and wealthy enough to live in the 5.6 km² of Paris's medieval heart (Marais, Louvre, Les Halles). Not even the central business district (Opéra, Champs-Élysées) is inside these 4 arrondissements.

December 6th, 2006, 02:49 AM	#1
*hkskyline* Hong Kong Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 71,053 Likes (Received): 842	French Cities Consider Congestion Charges France mulls London-style vehicle congestion charge for cities PARIS, Nov 13, 2006 (AFP) - France is considering slapping a tax on vehicles entering Paris and other major cities to cut pollution and traffic jams, similar to the congestion charge already in effect in London, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said Monday. Transport Minister Dominique Perben has been charged with studying the idea as part of a government push for durable development, Villepin told reporters after a ministerial meeting on the issue. The task force will look at several options, "such as implementing urban tolls or new parking management systems," and will report back by April 2007, Villepin said. Any changes would be made with an eye to "not penalising those who have no other choice than living far from the city centres where they work," he said. London introduced a congestion charge on vehicles entering its centre in February 2003. Cars going into the designated area have to pay a fee of eight pounds (12 euros, 15 dollars) or risk a fine of at least 50 pounds from the array of automated cameras watching the roads. Municipal authorities say traffic has dropped 15 percent since the charge was brought in, but some shopowners have complained about less business. Singapore has also introduced a form of city tax for vehicles, and Milan, San Francisco and Stockholm are thinking about following suit. __________________ Hong Kong Photo Gallery - Click Here for the Hong Kong Galleries World Photo Gallery - \| New York \| London \| Egypt \| Dubai \| Shanghai \| Xian \| Tokyo \| Kyoto \| Prague Beijing, Seoul, Taipei, Mumbai, Iceland, Sydney, Rocky Mountains, Toronto, and much more!

December 7th, 2006, 06:24 AM	#2
sydney_lad Registered Abuser Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Syd upon Ney Posts: 690 Likes (Received): 0	Good idea. Hope we do it here too. __________________ "Der ball ist rund"

December 7th, 2006, 08:24 AM	#3
*Minato ku* Moderator Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Paris, Montrouge Posts: 11,802	Politics don't like this I love this It is very funny __________________ すみません　! J’aime Paris et je veux des tours !

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

December 7th, 2006, 10:03 AM	#4
eusebius BANNED Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Trumpton-upon-Ravon Posts: 7,752 Likes (Received): 0	Every major city in Europe deserves its own Red Ken. And even when history would prove it's rather a Red Herring, well, at least we tried!

December 7th, 2006, 02:28 PM	#5
brisavoine Immodérateur Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: desconocida Posts: 17,733 Likes (Received): 1586	The problem is where to set the border of this congestion charge zone in Paris. The government would like to levy the tax on all vehicles entering the City of Paris, i.e. the congestion charge zone would have the same dimension as the City of Paris. Local politicians are completely opposed to this. Not only is the City of Paris much larger than the congestion charge zone in London (105 km² for the City of Paris vs 21 km² for the congestion charge zone in London), which makes such a large area a bit meaningless for a congestion charge scheme (the 2.1 million residents of the City of Paris would be for the most part exempt from the tax), but above all such a measure would reinforce the isolation of the city proper of Paris from its suburbs. Local politicians are more in favor of a congestion charge to enter only the most central arrondissements. The congestion charge zone would correspond only to arrondissements 1 to 10 for example, an area covering 23 km², almost the same dimension as the London congestion charge zone. Another government project is to put a tax on the suburban freeways and not inside the City of Paris. As you can see, at the moment there's no clear policy, it's a bit of a mess. I doubt anything will happen before the presidential election, and I also doubt anything will happen at all after the presidential election. People will never accept this. I also don't think that a congestion charge is appropriate for a city like Paris, whose density is so much higher than London's. For example, even if the congestion charge zone was limited only to arrondissements 1 to 10, there are still 455,000 residents within the 23 km² of these 10 arrondissements, so that means that 455,000 people would be for the most part exempt from the tax, whereas in London there are only 136,000 people who live within the 21 km² of the congestion charge zone. Another idea flaunted by local politicians is to have a congestion charge zone covering only arrondissements 1 to 4 on the right bank of Paris. This would cover only 5.6 km² with 104,000 residents in it. This sounds like a typical useless Green Party proposition serving no other purpose than ensuring the tranquility of those people privileged and wealthy enough to live in the 5.6 km² of Paris's medieval heart (Marais, Louvre, Les Halles). Not even the central business district (Opéra, Champs-Élysées) is inside these 4 arrondissements.