Policy packages as potential routes to urban road pricing in the UK

This paper focuses on one particular demand management policy that is often regarded as radical and generally unacceptable. Road pricing often gets delayed or abandoned due to low acceptability. There are complex interactions and drivers of change in transport management that require cooperation within implementation networks. Single measures that focus on 'sustainable transport' usually address a limited set of objectives and are not always combined with other policy measures. When combined, it is sometimes unclear whether the multiple interactions between policy tools and implementation networks have been considered. An emerging case of implementation of a policy package in the UK is the support of road pricing initiatives combined with public transport improvements by the Transport Innovation Fund. The study presents a review of the UK urban road pricing situation; it contrasts emerging issues against six key implementation factors that show firstly the importance of combining policy tools and secondly the necessity in creating and maintaining strong implementation networks.