Congestion charging and air pollutants, environment and health in Stockholm
This report presents calculations of the trial’s effects on air pollution and their emissions, their content in air and health effects from this. The calculations are done for breathable particulates (PM10) and nitrogen oxides and are based on traffic data from Transek AB and their analysis of the proposal of congestion charging scheme from the City of Stockholm (in January 2004).
The total traffic work in the inner city is estimated to decrease with approximately 7 % on an annual 24-hour day average and with approximately 20 % during rush hour. Concerning major arterial roads, Essingeleden and Bergshamraleden are expected to get an increase of traffic with between 2 and 6 %. On other routes the traffic will decrease with between 1 and 11 % (annual 24-hour day average).
For the whole county the emissions of nitrogen oxides and particles will decrease with almost 2 % and for the City of Stockholm the decrease is expected to be between 3 and 4 %. If only the inner city of Stockholm is considered, the emissions of nitrogen oxides will decrease with 10 % and the PM10 emissions will decrease with 8 %.
Near Essingeleden, a route which is free of charge, the air content of nitrogen oxides and particles will be somewhat increased due to increased amounts of traffic. Even if the increases are very small this will imply that the environmental quality standards will be even harder to reach in this area, but the standards are heavily exceeded also without the charges. The increase of traffic on Bergshamraleden is estimated to give a very small addition to the air content of PM10 thanks to reductions on neighbouring routes and in the whole inner city. The air content of nitrogen dioxide will decrease, despite the increase of traffic, owing to surrounding areas where the air content of NO2 will decrease.
It is important to point out that the areas that will get increased emissions because of the trial are considerably smaller than the areas that will get decreased emissions. For PM10, about 8 800 persons will be exposed to somewhat increased emissions. Just under 287 000 persons, will be exposed to decreased emissions.
Regarding nitrogen dioxide, approximately 4 000 persons will be exposed to somewhat increased emissions, while just under 313 000 persons will have decreased emissions.
The effect on total PM10 content in air at street level will be somewhat bigger. With the congestion charges, the total length of roads and streets in the county where the environmental quality standard for PM10 is exceeded is expected to decrease with 6 km (which corresponds to approximately 5 %). The length of streets where the standard for particles is exceeded in the inner city of Stockholm will decrease with approximately one fifth (4 km).
For nitrogen dioxide the charges will not result in any changes regarding street length with exceeded standards in the county. The charges in itself is however not enough for living up to the corresponding environmental quality standard.
The long-term decrease of mortality for the whole considered region with approximately 1.4 million inhabitants is calculated to be 33-36 deaths per year, considered the reduced exhaust emissions. For only the central region with approximately 323 000 inhabitants, the effect on mortality is estimated to be 26 fewer deaths per year, considered both NO2, NOx and exhaust indicators.
Issued byStockholm Congestion Charging Council, 105 35 Stockholm, Sweden, +46 8 508 42 100, miljoavgifter@stadshuset.stockholm.se Project leaderJoanna Dickinson (at the time the report was written), the new contact person is Muriel Beser Hugosson Author Lars Burman och Christer Johansson, SLB analys, www.slb.nu LanguageSwedish with english summary
Miljöavgifternas effekt på utsläpp, halter och hälsa,Trendsetter report No 2004:3, swedish with english summary, 38p.
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