NORWEGIAN URBAN TOLL RINGS : LESSONS FOR SOUTH AFRICA CITIES ?

by Roger Crook – HHO Africa

(with acknowledgements to Messrs Kristian Warsted & Tom­Alex Hagen of Norwegian Public Roads Administration)

7 – 8 March 2007

Characteristics:

Bordering Sweden, Finland and Russia 4,5 mill. inhabitants 324 000 km 2 2 500 km from south to North Cape

91 825 km of public roads 3 638 453 reg. vehicles

Mountains and fjords, 5 months of winter 1,4 mill. 1 mill. 127 ferry connections inhab. Longest bridge: 1,9 km inhab. 23 sub sea tunnels (worlds deepest: 264 m below sea level) World’s longest tunnel in traffic: 24,5 km

For more information: www.vegvesen.no 2 mill. inhab. ORGANISATION GENERAL STRUCTURE

Parliament

Ministry of Transport and Communication

NPRA: •Directorate of Public Roads ”MESTA” •5 Regional Offices State owned Production Company (in competition with private companies) •30 District Offices NATIONAL TRANSPORT PLAN 2006 ­ 2015

• Move freight from the roads to ships and railways • Increase traffic safety • Give priority to the needs of freight transport businesses • Improve public transport services • Give priority to the operation and maintenance of existing roads over new road construction • Give budget priority to trunk roads • Increase the use of road toll financing • Make the drivers to a greater extent pay toll according to the distance driven (a more just system) ROAD TOLLING IN NORWAY

• 70 years of road tolling experience to finance expensive infrastructure (mountains / fjords) • More than 100 road toll projects implemented • Toll collection normally lasts for 15 years • 48 road toll projects in operation today • Urban toll systems in the last 20 years • Point payment only (open systems) • Norway has been a pioneering country in developing cost efficient road tolling NATIONAL ROADS, INVESTMENTS 2005

Public funds 5,8 bill. NOK (0,9 bill. USD) Toll financing 3,1 bill. NOK (0,5 bill. USD) (35%) Total 8,9 bill. NOK (1,4 bill. USD) ROAD TOLL REVENUES HAVE BEEN GROWING RAPIDLY DURING THE LAST 20 YEARS

Million NOK 1300 1243 (2000) 1200 1096 1100 1038 1000 100 NOK = 13 EUR 881 900 800 690 Urban 700 Other 600 502 500 400 300 231 188 200 100 0 0 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

Toll revenues now contribute approx. one third of the investments in national roads PLANNING PROCEDURE FOR NORWEGIAN TOLL PROJECTS

Start of NPRA Establishment of Ministry of project local toll company Regional Office Transport

Local Local political NPRA Directorate National initiative agreement of Public Roads Parliament ORGANISATION OF ROAD TOLLING

Ministry of Transport and Communications

NPRA Procurement NPRA Regional Office and Ownership Directorate

Collecting Contract State money System and AutoPASS Local Investment project User Money Toll company

Operator company

Bank loans E69 Magerøya

TOLLING PROJECTS IN Tromsø (fuel tax) City Projects NORWAY BY 2005 Rv 17 Helgeland Br. Single Projects Toll collection on ferries Namsos AutoPASS tolling Trondheim

E39 Øysand ­ Thamshamn

Rv714 Hitra ­ Frøya

• (1986), our E39 Krifast first toll ring Rv 661 Straumen Br. Rv 658 Ålesund Tunnels Rv 755 Skarnsund Br. • Ålesund* (1987), the *Rv 61 Hareid ­ Sulesund E6 Trondheim ­ Stjørdal first toll plaza with Rv 653 Eikesund ­ Rjånes Rv 64 Skålavegen Rv 5 Naustdal Tunnel Sykkylven Br.

EFC in the world E39 Teigen ­ Bogen Rv 5 Fjærland ­ Sogndal

Rv 566 Osterøy Br. Rv 5 Fodnes ­ Mannheller • The toll rings in E39 Nordhordland Br. Rv 551 Folgefonn Tunnel Oslo (1990) and Bergen E134 Rullestad ravine Rv 562 Askøy Br. Rv 35 Lunner ­ Gardermoen Trondheim (1991) Fv 207 Bjorøy Oslo E39 Triangular Link are other important Rv 23 Oslofjord Link E39 Borevik ­ Jektevik E18 Askim (Østfold Pack) pioneering projects Rv 544 Halsnøy Link E6 at Moss (Østfold Pack) Rv 47 T Link Rv108 Hvaler Tunnel E39 Rennesøy E18 N. Vestfold Rv 519 Finnøy Tønsberg N. Jæren

Rv 13 Ryfast E18 Aust­Agder Rv 45 Gjesdal Kristiansand E39 Lister Pack

Rv 9 Setesdalsveien LAYOUT OF A NORWEGIAN EFC LANE

Invalid passing Warning, few trips left Valid passing (not in use in Oslo)

• The AVI and camera systems manage high speeds • Due to traffic safety, the maximum speed limit is set to 60 km/hour A MANNED FREEWAY TOLL PLAZA “FULLY AUTOMATIC TOLL PLAZAS”

• No stopping at the toll plazas • Drivers without AutoPASS will be videoed and billed monthly for the exact fee • In Bergen and Tønsberg since February 2004 • Picture shows pilot station in Tønsberg AUTOPASS

• A technical specification for electronic tags (EFC) owned by NPRA • Independent of industry and open to all from 1999 • In full compliance with CEN and ETSI standards for DSRC • Interoperable from 2004 and presently used in 24 out of 48 toll projects ! • One million tags in use ! THE USER IN FOCUS

One Contract – One OBU (IC­card) – One bill

­ Contract Toll ­ OBU/IC­card Roads ­ Invoice (claim) AAututooPAPASSSS CCoontntractract IssuIssuerer Ferries

Happy Users

Parking

Public Transport More.. NORITS (NORDIC INTEROPERABILITY FOR TOLLING SYSTEMS) OSLO : TOLL RING THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN OSLO

1984: The Parliament asked for a plan 1986: A proposal was presented to the Parliament. Financing by road tolls was discussed 1987: Political decision on toll financing in the City of Oslo and in the County of 1988: Final approval by the Parliament 1988: New local political discussions in Oslo. Plans for the toll plazas were approved by the City Council in June 1989. (The ring opened in February 1990) THE PARTICIPANTS

Ministry of Transport and Communications

Public Roads Administration (planning and building)

County of Akershus City of Oslo

AS (the toll company) Collects the toll, handles the revenues and obtains loans from banks for specific road projects ””

• Motivation: To build 50 pre­ defined projects in ten years instead of 35 with state funds only Oslo • Joint venture between Oslo Akershus (60%) and the neighbour county of Akershus (40%) • Users contribute with 55% of funding • The toll ring (white lines) covers • Daily traffic in the payment direction is all roads in three corridors approx. 250 000 • 50% of Oslo’s population live • Approx. 120 mill EUR per year income, outside the toll ring approx. 10% operation cost • 20 % PT infrastructure TOLL FEES IN THE OSLO TOLL RING

• Pre­paid trip subscribers get up to 43% discount • Monthly, semi­annual or annual subscriptions of unlimited use give even higher discounts • Public transport, MC, electric vehicles, ambulances, and handicapped persons do not pay OSLO TOLL RING EXPERIENCES

• Overall reduction in traffic: 3­5% • Growth in public transport: 6­9% • Situation back to “normal” after only a few months • Off peak drivers most sensitive to pricing • No capacity problems in the plazas • Higher workload and more comprehensive computer systems in the back office system than expected • Users do not always behave as expected COMPLETED ROAD PROJECTS IN OSLO (pr 1.1.2004) COMPLETED PUBLIC TRANSPORT PROJECTS IS OSLO

(pr 1.1.2004) ATTITUDE TO TOLL RING IN OSLO Base (N): 16349. Mangler verdi: 945, dvs. 5,8%

100 The increase in negative attitude in 2001 NEGATIVE is due to: 90 • introduction of ””: NOK POSITIVE 2,­ extra per passing allocated for public transport 80 • a fear that the toll ring will not be 70 removed in 2007 which was the original 70 decision 64 64 62 60 59 59 58 60 57 56 56 57 55 54 54 55 52

50

48 46 46 40 45 44 44 45 43 42 43 41 41 40 38 36 36 30 30

20

10

0 Toll ring Oslopakke 2 started o1pe9n8e9d 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 REASONS FOR POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO TOLL RING IN OSLO Base (N): 7296

100

Finance road projects Reduce traffic 90 Better environment Road users pays 80

70

62

60 57 55 54 54 55 52 51 50 49 49 49 50.1 48 48 50 47 46

41

40 35 34

30 29 30 30 27 27 27 25 25 26 25.1 24 23 22 21 21 21 18 20 17 16 16 16 14 14 14 14 12 12 12 12 12 13 12 12 12 12 12.46 10 10 11 11 11 11 9 8 10 7

0 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Toll ring Oslopakke 2 opened started REASONS FOR NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TO TOLL RING IN OSLO Base (N): 8874

100 Inequitable

90 Expensive methode Money spent on other than roads Toll boths makes queues 80

70 62

60 57 57 56 54

48 50 43 41 40 40 40 39 40 40 35 34 33 32 28 30 26 24 23 23 19 19 19 20 16 16 15 15 15 14 13 13 12 12 12 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 9 9 8 8 8 9 8 8 10 6 7 6 6 7 6 7 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 0 0 To1l9l ri8n9g 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Osl2o0pa0kke1 2 2002 2003 2004 2005 opended started ACCEPT OF PROLONGING TOLL RING DEPEND ON CERTAIN CONDITIONS It is decided to prolong the toll ring for some years. Do you support such prolonging? Eventually under witch conditions? Per cent n=1006

35 Yes, if money Can accept spent on roads 29 27 prolonging toll Yes, if money 31 ring spent on public 33 61% transport 34 Yes, if reduced 21 traffic/ better 25 environment 22 Don't know

Yes, if it results in 16 5% less congestion 18 18

Yes, if cost shares 19 more just 18 16 34 No 41 47 5 Don't know 3 No 2 34% 0 10 20 30 40 50

2003 2004 2005 WHAT DO WE GET ? The City Hall Square is here X The major projects in the Oslo Package 1 are several urban road tunnels

The most important of those is Festningstunnelen (The Castle Tunnel) below City Hall Square: 6 lanes, 1,6 km long, cost 2 bill.NOK

It was important for the acceptance of the toll scheme that the Castle Tunnel opened 2 weeks before the toll collection started. THE CITY HALL SQUARE BEFORE OPENING THE CASTLE TUNNEL Photo: Mari Kollandsrud, Riksantikvaren THE CITY HALL SQUARE AFTER OPENING THE CASTLE TUNNEL Photo: Mari Kollandsrud, Riksantikvaren

• Daily traffic reduced from 90 000 to 0 vehicles • New tram line opened • A new plaza for walking, festivals and exhibitions THE TRAFFIC IN THE SUBSCRIPTION LANES IS INCREASING STEADILY

1990 2002

Manual

ACM

EFC NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS (EFC) 280 000

Multi­trip subscribers

100 000

Season ticket subscribers

1991 2002 HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT A TOLL SCHEME IN OSLO THAT 70% WERE AGAINST ?

• Bergen initiated a successful • Additional extra funding from the toll ring in 1986 State is part of the plan • Road traffic conditions were • Low fees choking • Those opposed to car driving • The major political parties appreciate that the motorists have agreed to pay • 20% of toll income is earmarked • The toll is to finance road public transport infrastructure • User friendly fee structure (?) (multi­ • Limited collection period, only trip subscriptions with dis­count and 15 years season tickets) URBAN TOLL RINGS : LESSONS FOR SOUTH AFRICAN CITIES ?

• A culture of road tolling • Strong political commitment at both local and national level to toll implementation • Toll income augmented by central government investment in priority infrastructure • Concession agreement front­loaded expenditure on key road improvements • High commitment to communicate project information to general public & road­users • Improved environment for City Centre Retailers • Urban toll rings can be part of phased restructuring of travel demand