By John Challen

A LGA discussion paper – ‘Strategies for local traffic demand management’ – has reviewed the challenges faced by local councils in managing traffic congestion, the tools they have to manage traffic demand and what reforms could better support them.

The issue was highlighted by the proposal that London’s congestion charge should increase by 20% to £18 effective 2 January 2026, noting that “without the changes at least 2,200 more vehicles would drive in the zone each weekday”, according to the BBC.

“The premise of the paper is that road use must be actively managed in order to address congestion and pollution issues in many areas,” explains Camille Wu, Vice President, Europe and UK at CPCS, the company behind the report. “However, although there are many travel demand management (TDM) strategies that local authorities can theoretically implement, it is difficult to do so due to reduced funding from central government and the political risk of introducing such a scheme.” 

Wu adds that pricing schemes will always be controversial, but two schemes have been “exceptional” in their impact and public acceptance after initial opposition – congestion charging in London and the workplace parking levy in Nottingham. “These programmes were targeted to locations that are widely accepted to have unacceptable levels of congestion by the public and in places where high quality alternative transport options exist,” she states.

Pollution a worry

In the study, it is noted that high car dependency leads to congestion and pollution. National projections show vehicle miles are only expected to grow over time. While local authorities bear the responsibility of managing the local transport network, says the report, funding reductions from central government over the past decade have made it difficult for local authorities to invest in alternative transport modes and manage this demand.

The report gives examples of TDM as parking charges, congestion charging zones and workplace parking levies. However, it warns that very few local authorities have successfully implemented TDM strategies outside of parking charges.

Some strategies, such as congestion charging and the workplace parking levy, have been exceptional in their impact and public acceptance after initial opposition, it notes. It describes congestion charging as a ‘defined area typically in urban areas where charges are imposed on vehicles travelling into that area’. These zones are typically in highly congested areas where transport demand exceeds roadway capacity. By imposing a fee, say the authors, congestion charging zones incentivise drivers to consider alternative modes of transport.

Meanwhile, the LGA report clarifies the workplace parking levy as ‘a charge made by a local authority on larger employers for the number of parking spaces provided to employees'. Employers can either pay the charge themselves or pass the cost on to their staff, it explains. This can be an effective way to incentivise employees to carpool or use more sustainable transport modes.

When it comes to recommendations for central government, the LGA report believes they need to “propose policy reforms and legislative changes to align national priorities with local needs and facilitate the adoption of evidence-based strategies for reducing congestion and improving mobility”.

The report also urges the government to develop a replacement for fuel duty to account for the rise in electric vehicle usage.

More from CIHT: transport demand management toolkit for local authorities.

Image: a warning of congestion charging in the direction of Parlia-ment Square, London. Credit: chrisdorney/Shutterstock.com.