Beijing to charge traffic congestion fees

Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau issued Beijing 2013-2017 key tasks decomposition of air-cleaning action plan yesterday, among which the "traffic congestion charge" became the dispute. In the tasks decomposition of Motor vehicle pollution control plan, the "traffic congestion charge" is the only measure that hasn’t been regulated the specific time node.

In key tasks decomposition scenario, "congestion charge" is listed in the "economic policy of developing vehicle-using costs" category.

Programme requires that Beijing Municipal Communications Commission and Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau lead to plan low emission zone and develop traffic congestion charge policy, also will formulate supporting policies such as intelligent vehicle electronic toll collection system, implement the regional-differentiated parking fees system, perfect differential parking management policy, and appropriately expanding differential parking charges regions, and guide to lower the vehicle use intensity of central urban area.

In addition, Beijing Municipal Communications Commission and Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau will also lead to expand outside vehicle restrictions scope and time, which will be implemented earliest in 2014.

Why does not "Congestion charge " measure indicate the time node? The related sources of Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau said that the scheme with a span of 5 years, could not be identified the measures implementation all at once and also noted that the policy needs long-term repeatedstudy and research.

It is learned that in the end of 2010, Beijing traffic jam management section 28 stated to study and formulate traffic congestion charging scheme of key congested road sections and to put into practice at best time, which triggered widespread concern.

From 2011, Beijing has started a preliminary study on congestion charging management system. At that time, the traffic congestion charging only remained in technical preparation phase.

In addition to the earlier study, "motor vehicle electronic license plate information systems and equipment", closely associated with the traffic congestion charge is also listed as "key technology to break through." Experts believe that Beijing does not have the technical infrastructure of thetraffic congestion charge.

Last August, Beijing Municipal "Twelve-Five" traffic development plan stated that in the "Twelve-Five" period, Beijing would introduce congestion charging policies, supporting measures, and focus on building traffic congestion charging system and monitoring and evaluation management system.