The road-pricing trials
in the Netherlands have been temporarily abandoned. However, the
question is still under discussion or planned in several European countries (Netherlands, United Kingdom,
Switzerland). It may be raised again in line with future technical progress with electronic pricing systems.
However, road pricing has been introduced in a few cities, in the form of an annual charge or of tolls on roads
surrounding the town. Table 2.15 lists several cities which have introduced (or considered) urban roadpricing.
The fact is that the main effects of road-pricing can also be obtained by simple means, such as an
annual charge or by increasing the price of fuel, almost as effectively as with electronic tolls. The key to
success lies much more in the political will and the acceptability of the measures being proposed, than in the
technical difficulties involved. However, the net result is that congestion as a social cost is fairly poorly
internalised in the taxation of road transport. The same situation is found in other modes (particularly in air
transport), where congestion is high, with zero internalisation in existing tax systems.