Skip to main content

Experts call for road pricing instead of a ring road for Copenhagen

Danish traffic experts are urging politicians in Copenhagen to opt for road pricing instead of the planned ring road. They point out that GPS-based road pricing is more cost efficient than a ring road, and can be introduced in just three to five years.
April 24, 2012 Read time: 1 min
Danish traffic experts are urging politicians in Copenhagen to opt for road pricing instead of the planned ring road. They point out that GPS-based road pricing is more cost efficient than a ring road, and can be introduced in just three to five years. It would also be a fairer system since the fees will be determined by both traffic congestion and distance. Harry Lahrmann, lecturer at 5189 Aalborg University concludes that a ring road will mostly affect those living outside it who have errands within the city, and will not necessarily reduce CO2 emissions. Road pricing will however reduce emissions since it will cut the volume of traffic.

Meanwhile, the Danish transport minister is expected to take measures to reintroduce a scheme that allows electric cars to park free of charge in Copenhagen. The exemption from parking regulations for electric cars had to be discontinued on 1 December 2011 as it proved to be illegal. The new regulations are expected to be introduced in the first half of 2012.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Transurban to test Melbourne drivers in road trials, including tolls
    June 23, 2015
    Melbourne’s road users are the focus of a year-long study into what options are possible for funding road infrastructure projects including various user-pays models. The study headed by Australian toll roads operator Transurban will conducted across Melbourne’s entire road network to see how drivers react to tolling and other road-use models such as charging motorists for each kilometre travelled, a charge to access roads, annual fixed costs per kilometre on expected usage and price per trip. It will al
  • Norway leads electric vehicle drive
    February 29, 2012
    Norway's capital Oslo has the highest percentage of new electric vehicles (EVs) on the road than any other city in the world.
  • Road user charging proposed for Denmark
    February 15, 2013
    The joint proposal by 3F, the Danish trade union for the transport sector, and think-tank Kraka to replace vehicle registration fees with a GPS-based road user charging system is worth noting. According to 3F and Kraka, this would reduce congestion on Danish roads and generate savings worth €536 million (DKK 4 billion) for the nation’s finances. There is nothing new in this concept as such. Road user charging was proposed a few years ago for the UK and also for the Netherlands. But in the UK this proposal p
  • European transport pricing deadline
    September 3, 2012
    Public consultation is nearing completion on the sensitive issue of internalising external costs to make transport users pay for the perceived negative effects they inflict on society, including air pollution, CO2 emissions, accidents and congestion. Within six months a universal model will be unveiled by the European Commission (EC).