Would you pay more to drive? Last week, the Mobility Pricing Independent Commission launched the second phase of its public engagement program, inviting residents to share their thoughts on charging drivers extra fees to fund public transportation.
During the first phase, some Richmond residents said they didn’t agree with charging drivers to decrease congestion on the roads. “We pay too much tax as it is,” Richmond resident Ylli Muci told the News “I wouldn’t be willing to pay as a driver. Insurance rates are high already. Whoever builds up public transit may have to prioritize the budget better.”
The project is designed to gather information about how charging for road has worked in other cities and how it could function here. The online engagement opened on Feb. 26 and will run until March 14. The online platform shows examples of how distance-based charges or congestion point charges could be introduced to combat traffic congestion.
“The sheer growth in the number of people in the region is a huge factor in the congestion we’re experiencing in our cars and on transit, said Marc Lee, senior economist, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in a press release. “The reality looking forward is that if the current system remains, we will simply not be to handle the proportionate number of people in cars that we are seeing today.”
The engagement program includes examples of options including changes to the fuel tax, charging based on distance or charging at specific congestion points.
Later this spring, the commission will send reports to TransLink and the mayor’s council on regional transportation before they decide on next steps.
