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INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO DEMAND MANAGEMENT IN THE NETHERLANDS

This feature focuses on the congestion-pricing plan in the Netherlands, which is an important instrument in shifting the demand for car use, especially in the peak periods, to other periods, to other modes, and partly to other destinations. It briefly summarizes the objectives of demand management, the available instruments to pursue these, and examples of innovative demand-management approaches applied in the Netherlands. A discussion is presented of different objectives that are at stake for road pricing, with examples from a number of European countries. The major part of the feature deals with the envisaged Dutch congestion-pricing approach: its system setup, technicalities, and estimated impacts on travel demand. The feature closes with a critique on the implementation approach followed so far. Financial instruments will play an important role in the future in distributing the scarce road space among competing consumers. While pricing mechanisms can be viewed as very effective means of tackling congestion through better distribution of demand, it may not be necessary or desired to charge all road users. It may suffice to design a pricing scheme only for those who are willing to pay for a high quality of flow. Such a system should enable drivers to make their own choices with respect to travel quality. Economic developments make congestion tolling necessary, while technological developments make it possible.