Acceptability of Transport Pricing Strategies - by Jens Schade & Bernhard Schlag (Hardcover)

About the Book

Based on the MC-ICAM conference, this text discusses various questions relating to achieving a general public acceptance of various "road pricing" measures.

Book Synopsis

Several studies and research projects all over the world have considered transport pricing strategies as promising attempts to solve the urgent traffic problems in urban areas. However, empirical results have shown that public and political acceptability of such strategies is low. Until now, acceptance research in transport has occurred in comparative isolation. There are no standardized terms and no generally recognized research methodologies. This volume attempts to overcome this research problem and bring the disciplines involved together. The first aim is a contribution to an interdisciplinary exchange which covers all relevant aspects of acceptance. Contributions come from some of the most recognized psychologists, economists, civil engineers, sociologists and political scientists in the field, including Bruno S. Frey, Tommy Gorling, Peter Jones, Jos Viegas, Tony May, Stef Proost, and other authors. The second aim is to look deeper into the question of which determinants influence the amount of acceptability. A third aim deals with chances to overcome the lack of public and political acceptability, to bring together the most advanced state of the art and to propose forthcoming and possible solutions for implementing different kinds of travel demand management measures including pricing. The book is based upon papers presented at the MC ICAM conference on Acceptability of Transport Pricing Strategies, held in Dresden, 23-24 May, 2002. It is divided into four parts, Setting the Stage: Acceptability Problem, European Research Results, Behind Public Acceptability: Relevant Determinants, and Political Acceptability, and tackles several relevant parts from a theoretical as well as from a practical viewpoint by asking questions like: how to explain the different levels of public acceptability of various travel demand management measures? Which factors influence the level of acceptability? How to deal with political acceptability problems? What should future implementation approaches look like from the point of view of acceptability?

Review Quotes

..."provides complementary breadth in exploring public and political acceptability from a variety of viewpoints...provides an interdisciplinary look at acceptability issues drawing on political, economic, sociological, psychological, and institutional (transportation professional) perspectives...seems to emphasize the relevant facets of the 'acceptability problem' and to underscore the need for interdisciplinary research in finding solutions."
Michael Iacono
Journal of Transport Geography, May 2005

"provides a good overview of the acceptability of user fees on roads in Europe. ...the attitudes and problems discussed remain important for those interested in gaining public acceptance of road, or congestion, pricing schemes. ...a good mix of theory and case-study that makes the book accessible to all levels of readers."
Randal Reed
Journal of Urban Technology, April 2005

., ."provides complementary breadth in exploring public and political acceptability from a variety of viewpoints...provides an interdisciplinary look at acceptability issues drawing on political, economic, sociological, psychological, and institutional (transportation professional) perspectives...seems to emphasize the relevant facets of the 'acceptability problem' and to underscore the need for interdisciplinary research in finding solutions."
Michael Iacono
Journal of Transport Geography, May 2005

"provides a good overview of the acceptability of user fees on roads in Europe. ...the attitudes and problems discussed remain important for those interested in gaining public acceptance of road, or congestion, pricing schemes. ...a good mix of theory and case-study that makes the book accessible to all levels of readers."
Randal Reed
Journal of Urban Technology, April 2005

, .."provides complementary breadth in exploring public and political acceptability from a variety of viewpoints...provides an interdisciplinary look at acceptability issues drawing on political, economic, sociological, psychological, and institutional (transportation professional) perspectives...seems to emphasize the relevant facets of the 'acceptability problem' and to underscore the need for interdisciplinary research in finding solutions."

Michael Iacono
Journal of Transport Geography, May 2005

"provides a good overview of the acceptability of user fees on roads in Europe. ...the attitudes and problems discussed remain important for those interested in gaining public acceptance of road, or congestion, pricing schemes. ...a good mix of theory and case-study that makes the book accessible to all levels of readers."

Randal Reed
Journal of Urban Technology, April 2005