Congestion charge a reality in Norway

Trondheim city centre has benefited from toll roads

By BBC News Online's Lars Bevanger

A system of direct charges to dissuade motorists from driving into a city centre - which London will introduce by 2003 - is not a new idea.

Opponents of the measures in the UK capital say congestion charges are "unfair and unworkable" - but drivers in the Norwegian city of Trondheim have been living with such a system for 10 years.

Some of the funds have gone towards public transport improvements

They pay much less than their counterparts in London will - 15 kroner ($1.60) compared with the £5 charge ($7) proposed for London - although lorries pay a rate double that of cars.

The system was initially introduced to fund the building of new ring roads so that the heaviest traffic would not have to pass through the city centre.

More than 20 toll booths were built, closing off all approaches to the city. It is now impossible for anybody driving a car to get in for free.

Beneficial side-effects

Although the toll was not introduced in order to make people leave their cars at home, there was soon a political consensus that some of the money generated by the system should be used to improve public transport in the city.

It's another expense in a country of high taxation

Today some environmental projects in the area also benefit from the toll income.

The initial reaction to the toll system in Trondheim was mixed. Already heavily taxed, many daily commuters felt the extra cost was unjustifiable.

But few changed their ways and left the car at home.

Most drivers were quite happy to pay in order to get some of the heaviest traffic out of the city centre.

User friendly

Ten years on, most drivers in and around Trondheim don't give the toll system a second thought.

They have become used to it over time, but the system was also cleverly designed to be extremely user-friendly.

Radio-wave technology makes charging easy

All a driver has to do is fit a little plastic device to the windscreen of the car.

This communicates with the toll booth when the car passes through, deducting money from the user's account.

This radio-wave technology saves drivers the hassle of carrying coins and paying an attendant. They don't even have to stop.

The Trondheim toll system is due to be removed by 2005, when the initial aim of building and improving the city's ring roads will have been completed and paid for.