Case Study

Durham Road User Charging

Tools Involved

Access Control; and
Car Park and Roadside Security.
Road User Charging

Site Description

In 1994 the main route through Durham City Centre accommodated approximately 2000 vehicles and 17,000 pedestrians per day.

The introduction of the Transport Act 2000 provided an opportunity for Local Authorities to manage traffic flow using Road User Charging. On the 1st October 2002, Durham County Council introduced a £2 charge for vehicles to access its historic centre (Saddler Street and Market Place). The charge applies to vehicles entering the centre from 10am to 4pm (Mon-Sat).

Site Problems

A traffic flow of 2,000 vehicles a day may appear low, but in Durham the narrow streets of the centre are inadequate to handle the large number of pedestrians and vehicles competing for space.

Scheme Description

The charge zone has been implemented using a pay station at the exit to the zone, and an automatic bollard to enforce the scheme. When a driver approaches the bollard they should insert £2 in exact change into the payment machine or a payment card, which can be purchased in advance from an NCP parking shop.

Some motorists are exempt from the scheme including:

local residents;
disabled motorists;
security/postal delivery vehicles;
public transport vehicles; and
emergency services vehicles.

Exempt motorists are provided with one of two possible exemption permits:

a window-mounted transponder that automatically lowers the bollard on approach; or
daily credit card style permits, which are presented and stored at the pay station.

The exit point is monitored by CCTV and linked to the NCP Parking Shop via an intercom system. Should a motorist attempt to exit the zone without paying (e.g. via the uncontrolled entrance) they will be committing a traffic offence and the CCTV footage will be used as evidence.

Motorists will be permitted to leave the zone without payment if they request access via the intercom. However, if they do not pay the £2 charge by the end of that day they will incur a £30 fixed penalty. The penalty is sent to the vehicle registered owner address, through the use of DVLA records.

Scheme Objectives

The main aim of the Durham Road User Charging scheme is to reduce non-vital traffic whilst ensuring accessibility in the historic centre for local people, businesses and tourists. This is intended to improve public safety, provide better access to disabled motorists and enhance the city centre and its attractions.

Improvements

It is anticipated that the system will:

reduce traffic congestion;
improve air-quality;
enhance the environment;
improve pedestrian safety;
improve access to a World Heritage Site; and
provide a revenue stream for the Local Authority.

Integrating Systems

The Durham scheme is a stand-alone system.

Costs

Capital costs: £250,000 including provision of bus services;
Revenue costs: approximately £24,000 per year

Benefits

Benefits are shown in the table below.

Actual benefits reported
Impact Assessment	Environment	Reduced vehicle emissions
	Accessibility	A 10% increase in pedestrian activity - each day between 13,000 and 19,000 pedestrians use the same stretch of road, which is wide enough for just one vehicle at a time. A steady increase in use of the Cathedral Bus service.
	Safety	A rise to 78% (a 10% increase) in those who consider Durham City Centre to be a safe place to visit. Accident statistics will not be produced until 3 years post implementation data is available.
	Efficiency	In the first 3 months, traffic levels within the zone during charging hours fell from 2,000 to 200 vehicles a day - a drop of 90%.
	Integration	No benefits expected or reported.
Technical Performance		No technical problems reported.
User Acceptance		A significant improvement in public perception of the scheme since its introduction - 70% (a 21% increase) now believe the charge is a good idea. The great majority of businesses (83%) have not altered their servicing arrangements following introduction of the charge.

Durham Road User Charging benefits table

(source: CfIT Congestion Charging Fact Sheet -
(source: BBC News Article - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2721545.stm)

No attempt has been made to validate the results reported. Users of the guidance are encouraged to assess the robustness of the results presented and the likely transferability of the case study to their own local environment.

More Information

Saddler Street Road User Charge Monitoring Report, Durham County Council website.