THE DIFFICULT DECISION - DEMAND MANAGEMENT

As traffic clogs road networks and grinds urban centres to a stop, business and the quality of life is eroded by lost time, extended work days, safety hazards, health issues, environmental impacts and noise. Traveller demand management (TDM or Congestion Charging, or Electronic Road Pricing) has been identified as one means to address this problem but has been the last option for policy makers. While there are a growing number of cities around the world - Singapore, London, Florence, Stockholm and Auckland - that are implementing systems or trials or studies to implement Traveller Demand Management, there is a strong resistance to take up the policy or question the results or benefits achieved to date. Many decision makers or policy strategists place TDM in the too difficult or not on my watch pileand clutch onto other policy or strategy options. Once these have been exhausted, they reach the inevitable conclusion that they cannot buy or build their way out of congestion. This appears to lead them back to the inevitable position of addressing once again the tenants of demand management. This paper addresses policy issues and the impact of the implementation ofa demand management policy. This study addresses the issues facing the implementation of the policy and the hindrances to the adoption of that policy. The author will use recent programmes in Singapore, London, Stockholm and Italy as examples of where the linkages and connections between strategy and policy have been properly introduced to match the distinctive needsof each programme. For the covering abstract see ITRD E134653.