European Conference of Ministers of Transport ECMT Round Tables Transport Infrastructure Charges and Capacity Choice Self-financing Road Maintenance and Construction

Annotation

Much of the current policy debate has considered infrastructure charges as a form of "fiscal" instrument for managing transport demand. The Round Table analysed the opportunities for setting infrastructure service prices so that they also provide guidance for the supply of services. It discussed the possibilities of increasing the finances available for transport infrastructure investment and maintenance by introducing a quasi-market for transport infrastructure services. The general public impression is that charges are a just another tax increase in disguise. Infrastructure charging that uses a mix of "fees for service" and capacity expansion criteria is expected to correct this impression, and thus to improve the political acceptability of infrastructure pricing.