A methodology to evaluate a toll-ring implementation in terms of metropolitan equity. The case of Madrid Metropolitan Area

摘要

In accordance with the EU policy, which favors tolling systems based on the calculationof marginal social costs, Spain is studying the implementation of an interurban roadpricing scheme. In particular, a main result derived from the model developed in orderto estimate the external costs produced by the road users of the Spanish interurban roadnetwork suggests that a road pricing scheme based on the congestion costs makes senseonly if applied to a few number of metropolitan highways, where it can be used tomanage the car travel demand. Therefore, the implementation of a toll road on themetropolitan highways raises questions about its socio-economic effects. This paperfocuses mainly its analysis on the results of the simulation of a toll-ring applied to oneof the more congested rings of the Madrid Metropolitan Area, the M40. The results areanalyzed in terms of efficiency (gains in terms of travel time) and equity (who pays forthis time savings). Finally, the results of the implementation of such a toll-ring pricingpolicy show a clearly increasing level of socio-spatial inequalities. In fact, when theusers have a viable road alternative, the burden of the toll-ring is equally distributed, butif not, the burden of a toll-ring has greater effects on people of low or modest income.