http://www.t-e.nu/docs/Bulletin/2006/2006-01_bulletin145_web.pdf

Stockholm introduced its congestion charge last month, with an immediate 
drop in car journeys, an increase in journey times, and a shift onto 
public transport.

On the first day the overall number of cars travelling to and from the 
city centre was down by 25%. In some places at the most expensive times 
of day it was down by 35%, with an overall average after the first full 
week between 25% and 30%.
“This is beyond our expectations, and the system is also working well 
technically,” a finance ministry expert told the French news agency AFP. 
Many of Sweden’s most skeptical media suddenly changed their view. Those 
who were expecting chaos suddenly found themselves reporting on the 
success of the charge, with one tabloid even running the headline “City 
reclaimed!” The Swedish capital has largely followed the model of the 
London congestion charge introduced in February 2003, but with certain 
differences. The main one is a toll ring rather than charge zone – 
motorists having to pay in both directions, with the charge 
differentiated according to the time of day. But many of the impacts of 
the Stockholm charge have followed those observed in London. The effect 
of the charge in getting people out of cars and onto public transport 
was greater than the predicted willingness to pay. As a result, 
projected income from the charge is 20-30% lower than expected, but SL, 
the public transport company which made extra capacity available as the 
charge began, has reported increased usage and no problems with 
overcrowding. In addition, new “Park & Ride” car parks at tram and 
underground stations outside the toll ring have proved popular. Buses, 
taxis and distribution vehicles have reported reductions in travel 
times, and a city spokeswoman said the time needed to drive from one 
side of the city to the other in rush-hour was only 45% longer than 
during off-peak hours, compared with 200% normally. Traffic levels on 
the roads just outside the outer charge band were up a little, but much 
less than had been feared. If the London experience is reliable, the 
impact of the charge may be reduced as people get used to it, but 
Stockholm has a target reduction of 15%, and London has settled on a 
level of traffic around 15% less than before its charge. The Swedish 
charge is a seven-month experiment that will end in July. Then there 
will be a referendum on whether to continue with it,
though party politics could mean voters vote not just on what they think 
of the charge.

see also p. 3 in the newsletter ("Will the Stockholm success beat the 
political doubts?")
_______

Dr. Jens Schade
Dresden University of Technology
Traffic and Transportation Psychology
D 01062 Dresden, Germany
tel: +49 351 463 36682, fax: +49 351 463 36513
email: schade@verkehrspsychologie-dresden.de
http://www.jensschade.net