Evaluating the spatial and social equity effects of road pricing in the European urban context: the Madrid Metropolitan Area

摘要

The paper explores the spatial and social impacts arising from implementation of aroad-pricing scheme in the Madrid Metropolitan Area (MMA). Our analytical focus ison understanding the effects of the scheme on the transport accessibility of differentsocial groups within the MMA. We define an evaluation framework to appraise theaccessibility of different districts within the MMA in terms of the actual and perceivedcost of using the road infrastructure ‘before’ and ‘after’ the implementation of thescheme. The framework was developed using quantitative survey data and qualitativedata from focus group discussions with residents.We then simulated user behaviors (mode and route choice) based on the empiricalevidence from a travel demand model for the MMA. The results from our simulationmodel demonstrated that implementation of the toll on the orbital metropolitanmotorways (M40, M30, for example) decreases accessibility most in the districts wherethere are no viable public transport alternatives.Our key finding is that the economic burden of the road-pricing scheme particularlyaffects unskilled and lower income individuals living in the south of the MMA.Consequently lower income people reduce their use of tolled roads and have to find newarrangements for these trips: i.e. switch to the public transport, spend double the timefor their commuter trips or stay at home.The results of our research could be applicable more widely for anyone wishing tobetter understand the important relationship between increased transport cost and socialequity, especially where there is an intention to introduce similar road-pricing schemeswithin the urban context.