Congestion charging

Stockholm has become the latest city to introduce a congestion charge.

For a seven-month trial period, drivers entering or exiting the city during the daytime will be charged between 10 ($1.30) and 20 kronor each time...

The toll will remain in place until 31 July. City residents will then decide in a 17 September referendum whether to keep the charge.

Here, even though congestion is largely confined to rush hour traffic between Hamilton and the west, there's been no serious discussion of having a similar charge. Why not?

Comments

[ace on 03.01.06 at 20:03]

Because Ewart will want to put up hideous American style toll booths perhaps?

[sandgrownan on 03.01.06 at 20:43]

There would be uproar. Imagine if a UK model was followed here, with the motorist penalised with increased taxes on gas, tyres, road use, car purchase, insurance..etc etc..it's as if the idiots in charge think that the motorist can be bullied out of the car and on to a bus. It's bollocks and everyone knows it. There has to be a real alternative. A convenient, clean, safe method of transport, all day, all night, every day.

It worked in London only because there was a half decent public transport infrastructure to take the strain. The charge here would need to be massive to make a difference.

[Uncle Elvis on 03.01.06 at 21:56]

"Because Ewart will want to put up hideous American style toll booths perhaps?"

and they'd cost 20 times as much as promised and take 5 years to put up...

[blovator on 03.01.06 at 22:05]

This might be workable if there was a shuttle from parking garages outside of town. From Bull's Head and perhaps we could put one nearer the east end of town. Also. I hate to say this but Hamilton could almost use a ring road.

[Andrew on 04.01.06 at 02:36]

I just have to laugh when I hear people complain about "traffic". It is just soooo unbearable when that fifteen minute commute turns to twenty. Those five minutes are lost forever...

Yes, the traffic has doubled in recent years. No, it still doesn't count as a traffic jam.

Add some extra parking facilities and get on with it.

[blovator on 04.01.06 at 04:19]

Andrew

complete agreement

[Copper on 04.01.06 at 07:26]

In a land where money is far to abundant, do you really think trying to charge people money will change anything?

Creating more taxes will just give the government more money to waste on pet projects, personal travel, and failed projects handed out to their buddies.

[Tiger Bay on 04.01.06 at 08:23]

Traffic is busy here - but not terrible. Better policing and road safety would certainly make it better.

Rather than punitive measures - how about incentives? Reduce the cost of licensing bikes and provide better parking for them in town. Subsidised public transport, etc.

By the way, is that "reduce your speed" light on East Broadway a joke? What speed is it set at? I went licking through it the other day and it did not light up - but later that evening came through very slowly and ringadingding. I'm not sure it catches bikes (?) Anyone else experimenting? I've noticed a pattern already of cars slowing as they come to the slight bend where the camera is aimed, and then resuming speed just past the camera beam.

[Chris Broadhurst on 04.01.06 at 08:53]

A toll would not make a difference. Firstly, Bermudians will moan about it but pay it anyway since the odd dollar doesn't impact them. Second, the toll itself will cause a bottleneck.

Extra car parks would not make a difference either since people would still be driving their cars there.

Increase car licencing so that it will pay for public transport. Then, just maybe, people will use the buses and ferries since they are free.

Second, have no car parking at all on the main streets - the Front, Reid, Queen, Church, and Burnaby square at least. Just use the car parks. Then fill it up with bike parking. It seems nowadays that it is easier to find a car space in this area of town than a bike space.

[david on 04.01.06 at 08:54]

Phil you seem to bang on about smokers rights, what about drivers rights? You are anti stopping smokers smoke in public places, yet seem keen to introduce charges so stopping people driving. Make your mind up son

[Fourth Estate on 04.01.06 at 08:59]

Congestion charges, no. What we really need are toll bridges. Just imagine the possibilities if we could charge for those surplus cars crossing over the Swing Bridge and Causeway. Hmm, Phil?

[Yet Another Limey on 04.01.06 at 09:11]

Why not just build car parks by the Warick/Paget ferry stops along the same lines as Rockaway. After all the traffic does not get that bad until this point anyway.

[Tiger Bay on 04.01.06 at 09:18]

Referendum? Did I hear referendum? But I thought the BIC "found no instance of
where a referendum was used to decide the question of" traffic congestion charges.

[Git on 04.01.06 at 09:27]

I just love the way the new sign orders me to 'SLOW DOWN' on the ride into town each day... as if any self-respecting Bermudian on their way to work needs to be told that.

[anonymouse on 04.01.06 at 09:28]

Build more car parks? Because what, we don't already have enough cars on our roads? I've said it before and I'll say it again.. the *only* way we'll ever beat congestion is by tackling the source = cars/bikes.

I agree, our society is a bit too wealthy to be concerned by such a meager congestion charge. So what about something a bit higher, say... 10$ unless there are two or more people in a car, then the toll charge should go down accordingly. We could also do with a raise in parking fees. I'm pretty sure the Corporation of Hamilton could use the money. What about those repeat traffic offenders? Those that get more than 3 parking tickets a month (and in some cases a day).. which they don't bother to pay anyway.... why not have them learn to keep time the right way. Have them rely on public transportation - which is pretty reliable these days, aside from the odd strike. Someone caught speeding more than once in a year? or once in two years? Take them off the road. Catch them driving when they're not supposed to? 1,000$ fine + ____ hours of community service and suspension of license for 5 years.

What about all those people with more than one car per household - and i'm not talking about ministers or doctors.. Why not set up an anonymous tip line. Turn someone in, get the fine.

Perhaps... Morgans Point can become a new ferry departure centre.

[Yet Another Limey on 04.01.06 at 09:45]

“Build more car parks?” – Yes

One of the main reasons Bermuda’s roads were FOUR times more deadly then the UK last year is because of the number of people riding two wheeled death traps (that and alcohol).

More car parks, with better park and ride ferry/bus service into town and let people own as many cars as they want.

Or is getting to work 15 minutes faster worth the death of half a dozen people a year?

[Chris Broadhurst on 04.01.06 at 10:22]

More and more car parks in town is just one of the things that has lead to this situation.

Starting with ParLaVille, then City Hall after the Hotel burned down. Then various little satellite carparks, and finally several levels of Bullshead.

Is it not time to rethink this?

[VB on 04.01.06 at 10:53]

I like the carrot & stick approach.

How about?

All or most of indoor #1 shed for cycle parking.
Devote much more City Hall & Par la Ville to cycle parking.
Increase short term & all day cycle parking space all around Hamilton.
Increase street space for loading zones to reduce the double parking commercial vehicles are forced to do.
Allocate much more seniors/handicapped streetside parking. Use displayed permits & heavily fine those who abuse the permit i.e. the vehicle must contain the permit holder.
Stop the car 'shuffling' every 2 hours by staff.
Offer free parking in prime longterm areas for those carpooling.
Double, triple, even quadruple parking fees for single occupant vehicles which arrive in Hamilton between 7 & 10 & only permit them to park in the least desirable parking areas.

The walk from the top deck of Bulls Head to Ried St is less than the length of many a US shopping mall concourse. You don't hear Bermudians grumbling about THAT walk do you?

I can't get too excited about public transport. Too unreliable. They go out on strike, sorry, meetings, at the drop of a hat.

Right now going to Hamilton mid day is a hassel. Can't even find cycle parking short term never mind space for a car. Why go to town to shop when there is nowhere to park because staff has taken the street spaces?

[Bandit on 04.01.06 at 11:11]

Yet Another Limey said: "One of the main reasons Bermuda’s roads were FOUR times more deadly then the UK last year is because of the number of people riding two wheeled death traps"

Err, no. That is not the reason. The reason is a combination of bad driving, bad roads and bad attitude.

You cannot compare Bermuda to UK. There is no comparison. UK has huge, well kept roads and motorways. When you start to look at the regions like Cornwall you see a large increase in the number of casualties and fatalities per capita.

You want a realistic comparison look at Jersey or the Isle of Man withit's mad death races. There you will find 40% more people, no speed limit, Much much more powerful machinery and about the same number of deaths in 2005. Jersey has 60% more people, 40 MPH speed limit and about the same number of fatalities as Bermuda.

[TJL on 04.01.06 at 11:21]

You can't compare Bermuda to the UK because we're too small for any statistically significant comparisons. I'm getting really tired of people pointing at so-called "hard facts" - our world leading rates of incarceration, obesity, road deaths, etc - as if these numbers meant anything at all.

We're the size of a small town in the UK or US, people. We don't have the per capita numbers for credible data comparisons.

[Yet Another Limey on 04.01.06 at 11:27]

The fact is, most of the people that die on Bermuda's roads die on bikes.

As George Orwell once almost wrote, four wheels good two wheels bad.

[Tiger Bay on 04.01.06 at 11:33]

Two wheels going the speed limit and sticking to their lane, no so bad at all.

[Bandit on 04.01.06 at 12:03]

Yes, Bermuda is the size of a small US or UK town where the majority of the driving is done on highways by comparison to Bermuda roads, hense my comparison to two other small island communities, both of which I have lived in and both of which have similar road safety problems. Very credible comparisons that show that Bermuda's road fatality figures are not significantly different.

[Yet Another Limey on 04.01.06 at 12:05]

Tiger Bay, you’re quite right, by following the laws of the road two wheels can be just as safe.

So to reduce congestion we should make all ‘safe’ drivers come into town on scooters were as people unable to stick to 22mph should be forced to drive in cars with crumple zones, seat belts and air bags for their own safety.

[H Reardon on 04.01.06 at 12:12]

I do like the concept of rationing a limited resource (space on the roads) through price (higher price at the peak periods). I suppose the ultimate goal would be to get consistent traffic throughout the day--matching supply and demand perfectly at all points of the day. Not sure this can practically be done.

That being said, I don't think Bermuda has much of a traffic problem--at least for us coming from the East.

[Uncle Elvis on 04.01.06 at 12:41]

"That being said, I don't think Bermuda has much of a traffic problem--at least for us coming from the East."

Now, THAT'S funny! Thanks, H... y'gave me a giggle.

[Yet Another Limey on 04.01.06 at 12:44]

Bandit wrote "Jersey has 60% more people, 40 MPH speed limit and about the same number of fatalities as Bermuda."

After some internet trawling about Jersey:

5 fatal crashes in 2004
http://www.police.gov.je/content/pdf/2004AR.pdf

1 fatal crash in 2003
http://www.police.gov.je/content/pdf/ar2003.pdf

I know the average for Bermuda before 2005 was 9. Was ther ever a year we had as few as 5, never mind one?

[blovator on 04.01.06 at 12:59]

TJL
I've wondered about that.

everyone else:

Bring back the train!

[Somers on 04.01.06 at 13:07]

Problem: Too many people working in one area.
Solution: Reduce the amount people coming into the area.

Make Morgan's Point a business centre!

[H Reardon on 04.01.06 at 13:15]

"Problem: Too many people working in one area.
Solution: Reduce the amount people coming into the area.

Make Morgan's Point a business centre!"

Posted by Somers on 04.01.06 at 13:07

I thought this was going to be a plug for Independence and the PLP.

[Tiger Bay on 04.01.06 at 13:19]

"Solution: Reduce the amount people coming into the area."

Actually, this would probably increase the problems by widening the pockets of traffic congestion. This phenomenon is visible in virtually every urban area that has sprawled into strip malls and office parks.

Morgan's Point should be retained as open space. Our intense development should remain focused on Hamilton, with the provision of suitable transportation options.

[Combat Banker on 04.01.06 at 14:03]

Build that bridge from Dockyard to Spanish Point!!! I know everyone laughs when this is mentioned (I make it light-heartedly myself), but I wonder if it's ever been costed out with toll booths etc etc.

[Ecky Thump on 04.01.06 at 16:12]

building the bridge from paget/warwick sort of area into town would make more sense than dockyard>point.

[SmokingGun on 04.01.06 at 16:32]

Building bridges? How about a couple of simple RORO ferries from Spanish Point to Dockyard? This could run every half-hour on the hour and accomodate trucks as well.

[Triforce on 04.01.06 at 16:47]

I agree with Chris, although I suspect that within 5 years people will be paying to park their scooters as well.

Improving the public transportation options would serve well to reduce traffic as well, for example the Rockaway ferry service could be increased as well as having some of the bus routes hours extended and increased.

It's usually not bad coming into town from the East, but leaving town can be a headache regardless of where you're going.

[Jiffy on 04.01.06 at 17:16]

On mornings where there are no taxis parked for the cruise ships and no trucks waiting to get into the loading docks the traffic is noticibly lighter.

The first step should be to eliminate all parking on Front street in the AM.

Create two lanes, one for driving straight through, and one for turning right at varous intersections.

Of course the biggest drop in congestion is when school is out, but I don't have any suggestions about that.

[Bandit on 05.01.06 at 07:31]

Yet another limey,

Ok Jersey is (according to the police in Jersey) not as good an example as I thought. Besides, the traffic (on average) almost certainly moves more slowley in Jersey than Bermuda (they really do have conjestion problems).

However, in the reports you quote 2003 was an unusually good year and out of charactor, and not in line with average statistics.

The Isle of man did a survey from 1994-2004 and the average fatalities was 11 per year, peaking in the summer. The summer peaks are in IOM are generally tourists, just like in Bermuda. In the IoM they think that if they stopped the TT, MGP and S100 races that the tourists on their bikes would not come over and there would be less fatalities. In Bermuda it is the same. Bermuda could halve it's serious road accidents by stopping renting modeds to tourists.

That alone would lower conjestion.

[Yet Another Limey on 05.01.06 at 09:42]

Bandit,

Actually 2003 wasn’t that good a year for Jersey, 2002 was better. The 2002 report gives the following deaths:
2002 – 0 deaths
2001 – 3 deaths
2000 – 1 death
http://www.police.gov.je/content/pdf/ar2002.pdf

The IOM (or Isle of Motorcycle death) is a different matter and a place that I think proves my 2 wheels bad point. They lose 2 people on average during the TT alone. I think you're right about not renting mopeds to tourists.

[Raptor on 05.01.06 at 10:25]

Some years back I was visiting in a U.S. hospital and started a conversation with a young woman in the sun-porch area. She was in a wheel chair. She was very cheerful, told me she was 18, and it was her birthday that day, and she was getting engaged. We chatted. Later, I saw her mother, who told me that actually she was 24, and nothing she'd said was accurate. She would be wheel-chair bound the rest of her life and had significant brain damage. She'd been in a moped accident in Bermuda. My stomach just somersaulted. I'd come across so many tourists who had nasty accidents on the island, but this was so much more. So incredibly sad.

Even recently, a woman said, "Oh, you're from Bermuda, let me show you my moped injuries." She had deep gouges on her arm, as well as other damage. I always suggest visitors not rent mopeds.

[Bandit on 06.01.06 at 05:38]

YAL, Ok Jersey fatals 2002 was zero, but the number of serious accidents/injuries was much higher than normal. Wait until you see the 2005 figures, Horrendous.

Anyway, as I said the average speed in 40mph Jersey is slower than Bermuda. I lived there for over seven years in the 80s and conjestion was much worse than Bermuda at the time. Yes Bermuda has got worse but so has Jersey. I was there for a long weekend in December and could not believe the traffic, and it was all day. I admit it was quieter on Sunday morning.

[loki on 23.01.06 at 09:36]

I think that congestion charging is definitely something that we need to consider in Bermuda. The traffic coming into Hamilton, particularly from the West End, is ridiculous and I can't help but think that there are people driving cars into town who are doing so unecessarily. I would certainly support congestion charging coupled with some form of park and ride scheme. Having said this, I can't help but think that one particular driver's overnight attempt at a Crow Lane park and ride scheme was both premature and overzealous.

[gordon on 09.04.06 at 17:34]

who ever called the isle of man the isle of death is a bloody moron. !! you havent been to see the stunning views yes we are motor racing enthusiasts . very safe and caring people , people like you are better where you are in your silly little safe cocoons , stay there pal cheers gordon

[Bandit on 10.04.06 at 09:18]

Interesting road fatality statistics so far for 2006 Bermuda 4, IOM 1. A twenty mile an hour speed limit really works for Bermuda doesn't it?

[Ethiops on 10.04.06 at 16:44]

Fast ferries and a whole heap of buses that people could actually count on for quick travel.
Give locals n tourist alike the options of a public service by road or water that can get them anywhere round the island fast and you’ll have cut the traffic flow substantially. Paying a toll fare in BDA ain’t something that would get my vote, it sounds stupid.

[Triforce on 11.04.06 at 10:23]

I agree Ethiops. Punitive measures like that aren't going to work well in Bermuda, I think.

The powers that be should just bite the bullet and deal with possible monetary losses with an expanded and more efficient public transportation system. And stop raising the prices of tokens and tickets, already. Want to get people off their vehicles and into buses? Make it way more economically viable to take buses and ferries than drive or ride a vehicle.