As reported, from March 1, 2019 there will be toll increases in the Norwegian capital. The changes will also apply to electric car drivers who so far did not have to pay. A return trip from Oslo city center to Akershus will cost 131 CZK for diesel cars, 118 CZK for gasoline cars and 46 CZK for ebils. How will these changes affect traffic in Oslo?
Raises road tolls and new gates
Under the changes introduced by Oslopakke 3, there will be 84 toll gates in Oslo - currently there are 31. All toll sections will be divided into three zones around the capital. The first ring will surround Oslo at the commune border. The second already exists at the entrance to the city itself, while the third will be located right on the border of Oslo's central areas.
Car traffic will drop significantly
The Metropolitan Road Administration has commissioned Cowi to conduct a study on the impact of the new billing system on traffic in Oslo. Consultants calculated that, as a result of the implementation of "Oslopakke 3", traffic intensity on the capital's roads will decrease by 16% during rush hours. On the other hand, the average daily decrease will amount to 11%.
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It is not known if the traffic jams will disappear
According to Lasse Fridstrøm from the Institute of Transport Economics in an interview with Nettavisen, it is not yet known to what extent car traffic should be reduced in order for traffic jams to completely disappear. He admits that this problem is particularly visible when the road capacity is exceeded. Therefore, it can be assumed that a reduction of just 5-10% should bring tangible benefits. In his opinion, research should be continued to obtain information on what kind of increases road tolls will be the most effective and socially acceptable.
Source: Nettavisen
Will it hit the poorest?
According to Lasse Fridstrøm, the toll increases will not hit the poorest. In his opinion, drivers who commute to the center of Oslo every day are not the poorest group of residents. In turn, introducing the changes will benefit those who cannot afford to own or use a car on a daily basis. The revenues from the new fees will be allocated, inter alia, to on the development of public transport, which will allow people with tight budgets to travel cheaper and easier in the capital of Norway.
