Stockholm congestion tax
Encyclopedia
The Stockholm congestion tax , also found referred to as the Stockholm congestion charge, is a congestion pricing
system implemented as a tax
levied on most vehicles entering and exiting central Stockholm
, Sweden
. The congestion tax was implemented on a permanent basis on August 1, 2007, after a seven-month trial period between January 3, 2006 and July 31, 2006.
The primary purpose of the congestion tax is to reduce traffic congestion
and improve the environmental
situation in central Stockholm. The funds collected will be used for new road constructions in and around Stockholm.
A referendum was held in September 2006 a couple months after the end of the trial period. In the referendum the residents of Stockholm municipality voted yes and in 14 other municipalities voted no to implement it permanently. On October 1, 2006, the leaders of the winning parties in the 2006 general election
, declared they would implement the Stockholm congestion tax permanently. The parliament
approved this on June 20, 2007, and the congestion tax came into effect on August 1, 2007.
, which includes Södermalm
, Norrmalm, Östermalm, Vasastaden
, Kungsholmen
, Stora Essingen
, Lilla Essingen
and Djurgården.
There are unmanned electronic control points (in Swedish: , literally payment station) at all entrances to this area. The congestion tax is applied on both entry and exit of the affected area.
The amount of tax payable depends on what time of the day a motorist enters or exits the congestion tax area. There is no charge on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays
or the day before public holidays, nor during nights (18:30 – 06:29), nor during the month of July. The maximum amount of tax per vehicle per day is 60 SEK
(6.30 EUR
, 7.75 USD
).
1/ Tax amount shown in other currencies for comparative purposes. Currency rates as of June 29, 2010.
is sent to the vehicle owner at the end of each month, with the tax decisions for the preceding month's control point passages. The bill must be paid before the end of the next month. The vehicle owner is responsible for the payment of the tax, even if the bill does not arrive.
The bill can be delivered in three different ways. By default delivery by mail to the vehicle owner's registered address
, or opting for electronic delivery to the vehicle owner's Internet bank
, or opting for a direct debit
arrangement called Autogiro that allows the tax to be automatically deducted from the vehicle owner's bank account when the bill is due.
Failure to pay the tax within the allotted time results in a reminder bill being sent with an added 500 SEK
fee. If the tax along with the reminder fee is still unpaid within 30 days after the reminder bill was sent, the case will be forwarded to the Swedish Enforcement Administration
, which adds an additional fee of at least 600 SEK, and the vehicle owner will be noted in the Enforcement Register unless payment is made.
for both private individuals and businesses. Private individuals may deduct the congestion tax for business journeys, and for traveling between the home and workplace according to the usual rules of car cost deduction (1:80 SEK/km), that is the distance is at least 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) and the time saved by traveling by own car compared to public transport is at least 2 hours per day. Businesses may deduct all congestion tax expenses.
has its only access to the mainland through the congestion tax affected area, all traffic to and from Lidingö to and from the rest of the Stockholm County
is exempt from the tax, provided that one passes one of the Ropsten
control points (located at Gasverksvägen, Lidingövägen, and Norra Hamnvägen) and some other control point within 30 minutes of each other.
The Essingeleden
motorway, part of European route E4
, that goes through the congestion tax affected area is also exempt, as it is the main route by-passing central Stockholm with no other viable alternatives present in the vicinity. All exits and entrances of Essingeleden that are within the congestion tax area have control points placed at them.
The vehicles passing the control points are identified through automatic number plate recognition
. The equipment, consisting of cameras, laser detectors, antennas, and information signs are mounted on a set of gantries
at each control point.
There are no payment booths at the control points, they are all unmanned and payment is done by other means later (see Method of payment above). At a traditional toll booth, a substantial percentage of the toll goes to costs for the staff, which is avoided here.
For those living on the island of Lidingö
or otherwise often traveling there, an optional DSRC
transponder
can be used also to more accurately identify the vehicles, as an incorrect identification results in the Lidingö exemption rule not taking effect (see Geographic exemptions above). The DSRC transponders that were used during the congestion tax trial period are useless now and should be returned to the Swedish Road Administration
.
The debate has instead in many instances shifted toward the political reasons behind the proposition, where some argue that the proposition is simply a way to punish the residents of Stockholm for the centralized Swedish political system, which reportedly many people in rural parts of Sweden feel favours Stockholm above other regions.
Initially this was planned as a congestion fee
, not a tax
. But the Swedish government ruled that this kind of endeavor was considered a tax and not a fee, and thus this was made a governmental tax, not a local tax, as municipalities in Sweden are not allowed to create new taxes.
transponders were used to identify vehicles, and opting to use one was a precondition for using direct debit for the payment of the tax.
The Road Administration have claimed that traffic passing in and out of the cordon reduced by between 20 and 25% during the period of the trial, and that air quality improved; after the trial, traffic volumes built up again. 96% complied with paying the tax on time, which raised 399 m SEK during the period.
s regarding whether to permanently implement the congestion tax were held in Stockholm Municipality
and several other municipalities in Stockholm County
on September 17, 2006.
It was only the referendum in Stockholm Municipality that the at the time reigning government would use as a basis for the decision.
The municipalities surrounding Stockholm in Stockholm County
, especially those that are part of the Stockholm urban area
, showed discontent with the fact that the people of those municipalities get no say whether the congestion taxes will be implemented permanently. A substantial number of the inhabitants of the nearby municipalities travel to and from work through the congestion tax area. Therefore several of these municipalities decided also to have local referendums. A municipality is allowed to hold a consultative referendum at any time, but as the congestion tax had to be decided at the national parliament level it was unclear how the results would be interpreted if the government there changed after the 2006 general election
, which was held the same day as these referendums.
In Stockholm the question asked on the ballots was (translated from Swedish): :sv:Trängselskatt i Stockholm#Fördelning och demokrati
In the other municipalities the question on the ballots were (translated from Swedish):
The Social Democratic
government prior to the 2006 general election
(cabinet Persson
) stated that they would only take into consideration the results of the referendum held in Stockholm Municipality, while the opposition parties (Alliance for Sweden
) stated that they would take into consideration the results of referendums the other municipalities as well if they won the election.
The opposition parties won the election and before they formed government (cabinet Reinfeldt
) their party leaders announced on October 1, 2006 to implement the congestion tax permanently, and that the revenue would go entirely to new road constructions in and around Stockholm instead of entirely to public transport in Stockholm
as it was during the trial period. The parliament
approved the congestion tax on June 20, 2007, for reintroduction on August 1, 2007.
motorway, southbound vehicles exiting from Essingeleden towards Bromma in the west, have to pass through two separate control points (No. 9 Lindhagensgatan Interchange and No. 8 Fredhäll/Drottningholmsvägen Interchange), effectively doubling the charge http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=E4+%4059.367740,+18.020310&daddr=275%2FDrottningholmsv%C3%A4gen+%4059.333950,+17.972300&mrcr=0&mra=pr&sll=59.346233,17.994747&sspn=0.039035,0.139732&ie=UTF8&z=13&om=1. It is possible though to avoid the congestion tax entirely in this situation by taking another route instead, e.g. Frösundaleden http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=E4+%4059.367740,+18.020310&daddr=59.350521,17.973289+to:275%2FDrottningholmsv%C3%A4gen+%4059.333950,+17.972300&mrcr=0,1&mrsp=1&sz=13&mra=dpe&sll=59.347458,18.00642&sspn=0.039033,0.139732&ie=UTF8&ll=59.346233,17.994747&spn=0.039035,0.139732&z=13&om=1.
has its shortcomings. Number plates from Finland and Lithuania
have a similar format compared to Swedish number plates, with three letters and three digits. The system can't see the difference, and a Swedish owner might falsely be charged. Also stolen and forged plates have caused false payment demand on innocent people.
Congestion pricing
Congestion pricing or congestion charges is a system of surcharging users of a transport network in periods of peak demand to reduce traffic congestion. Examples include some toll-like road pricing fees, and higher peak charges for utilities, public transport and slots in canals and airports...
system implemented as a tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
levied on most vehicles entering and exiting central Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The congestion tax was implemented on a permanent basis on August 1, 2007, after a seven-month trial period between January 3, 2006 and July 31, 2006.
The primary purpose of the congestion tax is to reduce traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
and improve the environmental
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
situation in central Stockholm. The funds collected will be used for new road constructions in and around Stockholm.
A referendum was held in September 2006 a couple months after the end of the trial period. In the referendum the residents of Stockholm municipality voted yes and in 14 other municipalities voted no to implement it permanently. On October 1, 2006, the leaders of the winning parties in the 2006 general election
Swedish general election, 2006
A general election was held in Sweden on 17 September 2006, to elect members to the Swedish parliament. All 349 seats were up for election: 310 "fixed seats" in 29 constituencies and 39 members at a national level for what are called "adjustment seats", used to ensure that parties have...
, declared they would implement the Stockholm congestion tax permanently. The parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
approved this on June 20, 2007, and the congestion tax came into effect on August 1, 2007.
Affected area
The congestion tax area encompasses essentially the entire Stockholm City CentreStockholm City Centre
Stockholm City Centre is the city centre of Stockholm in Sweden. The entire city of Stockholm is also the centre of the Stockholm Metropolitan Area....
, which includes Södermalm
Södermalm
Södermalm, often shortened to "Söder", is a district in central Stockholm. It covers the large island formerly called "Åsön". With a population of 99,685, it is one of the most densely populated districts of Scandinavia...
, Norrmalm, Östermalm, Vasastaden
Vasastaden, Stockholm
Vasastaden, or colloquially Vasastan, is a 3.00 km² large city district in central Stockholm, Sweden. With 51,661 inhabitants it is the second most populous, as well as the second most densely populated district in Stockholm.The major parks in Vasastaden are Vasaparken and Observatorielunden...
, Kungsholmen
Kungsholmen
Kungsholmen is an island in Lake Mälaren in Sweden, part of Stockholm City. It is situated north of Riddarfjärden and considered part of the historical province Uppland....
, Stora Essingen
Stora Essingen
Stora Essingen is an island and a district in the Kungsholmen borough in Stockholm, Sweden. The Essingeleden motorway, part of European route E4, passes along a section of the eastern shore...
, Lilla Essingen
Lilla Essingen
Lilla Essingen is a small island in central Stockholm, Sweden, next to the larger neighbouring island Stora Essingen.Both Essingen islands are mainly residential areas, the smaller densely packed with blocks of flats while the larger is scattered with villas...
and Djurgården.
There are unmanned electronic control points (in Swedish: , literally payment station) at all entrances to this area. The congestion tax is applied on both entry and exit of the affected area.
Amount of tax to pay
Public holidays in Sweden
All official holidays in Sweden are established by acts of Parliament . The official holidays can be divided into Christian and non-Christian holidays. The Christian holidays are jul...
or the day before public holidays, nor during nights (18:30 – 06:29), nor during the month of July. The maximum amount of tax per vehicle per day is 60 SEK
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
(6.30 EUR
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
, 7.75 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
).
| Time of day | Tax | In other currencies¹ |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 – 06:29 | 0 SEK | |
| 06:30 – 06:59 | 10 SEK | 1.05 EUR, 1.29 USD |
| 07:00 – 07:29 | 15 SEK | 1.58 EUR, 1.94 USD |
| 07:30 – 08:29 | 20 SEK | 2.10 EUR, 2.58 USD |
| 08:30 – 08:59 | 15 SEK | |
| 09:00 – 15:29 | 10 SEK | |
| 15:30 – 15:59 | 15 SEK | |
| 16:00 – 17:29 | 20 SEK | |
| 17:30 – 17:59 | 15 SEK | |
| 18:00 – 18:29 | 10 SEK | |
| 18:30 – 23:59 | 0 SEK |
1/ Tax amount shown in other currencies for comparative purposes. Currency rates as of June 29, 2010.
Method of payment
Payment of the congestion tax cannot be made at the control points — they merely register which vehicles have passed them. A billBill (payment)
A bill or invoice is a document requesting payment for an order previously supplied. Presentation of a bill is common practice on the part of credit card companies, utilities, and other service providers...
is sent to the vehicle owner at the end of each month, with the tax decisions for the preceding month's control point passages. The bill must be paid before the end of the next month. The vehicle owner is responsible for the payment of the tax, even if the bill does not arrive.
The bill can be delivered in three different ways. By default delivery by mail to the vehicle owner's registered address
Population registration in Sweden
Population registration in Sweden is the civil registration of vital events of the inhabitants of Sweden. The data is kept in the population registry and is administered by the Swedish Tax Agency...
, or opting for electronic delivery to the vehicle owner's Internet bank
Online banking
Online banking allows customers to conduct financial transactions on a secure website operated by their retail or virtual bank, credit union or building society.-Features:...
, or opting for a direct debit
Direct debit
A direct debit or direct withdrawal is an instruction that a bank account holder gives to his or her bank to collect an amount directly from another account. It is similar to a direct deposit but initiated by the beneficiary...
arrangement called Autogiro that allows the tax to be automatically deducted from the vehicle owner's bank account when the bill is due.
Failure to pay the tax within the allotted time results in a reminder bill being sent with an added 500 SEK
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
fee. If the tax along with the reminder fee is still unpaid within 30 days after the reminder bill was sent, the case will be forwarded to the Swedish Enforcement Administration
Swedish Enforcement Administration
The Swedish Enforcement Administration is a government agency handling all debt collection in Sweden.The Swedish Enforcement Administration is the only organization in Sweden empowered to withdraw money from bank accounts of debtors and, if necessary, visit the homes and companies of debtors to...
, which adds an additional fee of at least 600 SEK, and the vehicle owner will be noted in the Enforcement Register unless payment is made.
Tax deductibility
The congestion tax is deductibleTax deduction
Income tax systems generally allow a tax deduction, i.e., a reduction of the income subject to tax, for various items, especially expenses incurred to produce income. Often these deductions are subject to limitations or conditions...
for both private individuals and businesses. Private individuals may deduct the congestion tax for business journeys, and for traveling between the home and workplace according to the usual rules of car cost deduction (1:80 SEK/km), that is the distance is at least 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) and the time saved by traveling by own car compared to public transport is at least 2 hours per day. Businesses may deduct all congestion tax expenses.
Exempt vehicles
Some classes of vehicles are exempt from the congestion tax:- Emergency services vehicles
- BusBusA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es with a total weight of at least 14 tonneTonneThe tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s - Diplomatic corpsDiplomatic corpsThe diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country...
registered vehicles - MotorcycleMotorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s - Foreign-registered vehicles
- Military vehicles
- Cars that according to the Swedish Road AdministrationSwedish Road AdministrationThe Swedish Road Administration was a government agency in Sweden. Its primary responsibility was to organise building and maintenance of the road network in Sweden.Its headquarters were located in Borlänge.-History:...
's vehicle registry are equipped for propulsion with entirely or partially with electricity, or other fuel gasFuel gasFuel gas can refer to any of several gases burned to produce thermal energy.Natural gas is the most common fuel gas, but others include:* Coal gas or Town gas* Syngas* Mond gas* Propane* Butane* Regasified liquified petroleum gas* Wood gas...
than liquefied petroleum gas, or with a fuel mixture that predominantly consists of alcoholAlcohol fuelAlthough fossil fuels have become the dominant energy resource for the modern world, alcohol has been used as a fuel throughout history. The first four aliphatic alcohols are of interest as fuels because they can be synthesized chemically or biologically, and they have characteristics which allow...
. This exemption is no longer valid for newly purchase vehicles, but will remain valid to vehicles purchased before January 1, 2009 until August 1, 2012. - Cars with parking permit for disabled persons, after application to the Swedish National Tax Board. This exemption is not valid if the car is used for professional purposes.
Geographic exemptions
As the island LidingöLidingö
Lidingö is an island in the inner Stockholm archipelago, located north east of central Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. It is also the seat of Lidingö Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 44,000 inhabitants in 2011....
has its only access to the mainland through the congestion tax affected area, all traffic to and from Lidingö to and from the rest of the Stockholm County
Stockholm County
Stockholm County is a county or län on the Baltic sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm County is divided by the historic provinces of Uppland and Södermanland...
is exempt from the tax, provided that one passes one of the Ropsten
Ropsten
Ropsten is a cape at the eastern part of Stockholm mainland at the inner part of Stockholm archipelago in Sweden. Two bridges named Lidingöbron extend from Ropsten over to the island of Lidingö. Ropsten area is located between Hjorthagen and the Stockholm city main port Värtahamnen...
control points (located at Gasverksvägen, Lidingövägen, and Norra Hamnvägen) and some other control point within 30 minutes of each other.
The Essingeleden
Essingeleden
Essingeleden is a motorway that goes from Solna to Stockholm, Sweden, crossing the westmost parts of central Stockholm, by going over Kungsholmen, Lilla Essingen, and Stora Essingen....
motorway, part of European route E4
European route E4
European route E 4 passes from north to south through Sweden from the border with Finland, total length . The Finnish part lies entirely within Tornio in northern Finland, and is actually only long...
, that goes through the congestion tax affected area is also exempt, as it is the main route by-passing central Stockholm with no other viable alternatives present in the vicinity. All exits and entrances of Essingeleden that are within the congestion tax area have control points placed at them.
Technology
Automatic number plate recognition
Automatic number plate recognition is a mass surveillance method that uses optical character recognition on images to read the license plates on vehicles. They can use existing closed-circuit television or road-rule enforcement cameras, or ones specifically designed for the task...
. The equipment, consisting of cameras, laser detectors, antennas, and information signs are mounted on a set of gantries
Gantry (road sign)
A gantry is a traffic sign assembly in which signs are mounted on an overhead support, or railway signals supported....
at each control point.
There are no payment booths at the control points, they are all unmanned and payment is done by other means later (see Method of payment above). At a traditional toll booth, a substantial percentage of the toll goes to costs for the staff, which is avoided here.
For those living on the island of Lidingö
Lidingö
Lidingö is an island in the inner Stockholm archipelago, located north east of central Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. It is also the seat of Lidingö Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 44,000 inhabitants in 2011....
or otherwise often traveling there, an optional DSRC
Dedicated Short Range Communications
Dedicated short-range communications are one-way or two-way short- to medium-range wireless communication channels specifically designed for automotive use and a corresponding set of protocols and standards....
transponder
Transponder
In telecommunication, the term transponder has the following meanings:...
can be used also to more accurately identify the vehicles, as an incorrect identification results in the Lidingö exemption rule not taking effect (see Geographic exemptions above). The DSRC transponders that were used during the congestion tax trial period are useless now and should be returned to the Swedish Road Administration
Swedish Road Administration
The Swedish Road Administration was a government agency in Sweden. Its primary responsibility was to organise building and maintenance of the road network in Sweden.Its headquarters were located in Borlänge.-History:...
.
Debate
The congestion tax was before its inception a highly debated proposition, especially in the peripheral parts of Stockholm county where residents who lived outside of the control points but worked in the city center argued that they should also have a say in whether the proposition was to be accepted. In the time since the control points were put in place, however, the debate has calmed down considerably as the system works smoothly and the actual cost of passing these stations is acceptable to most residents, as well as the fact that central Stockholm has been getting cleaner since the proposition went into action.The debate has instead in many instances shifted toward the political reasons behind the proposition, where some argue that the proposition is simply a way to punish the residents of Stockholm for the centralized Swedish political system, which reportedly many people in rural parts of Sweden feel favours Stockholm above other regions.
Initially this was planned as a congestion fee
Fee
A fee is the price one pays as remuneration for services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup.Traditionally, professionals in Great Britain received a fee in contradistinction to a payment, salary, or wage, and would often use guineas rather than pounds as units of account...
, not a tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
. But the Swedish government ruled that this kind of endeavor was considered a tax and not a fee, and thus this was made a governmental tax, not a local tax, as municipalities in Sweden are not allowed to create new taxes.
Trial period
A seven-month trial period of the congestion tax , called The Stockholm trials , took place between January 3, 2006 and July 31, 2006. In addition to the optical recognition of license plates, DSRCDedicated Short Range Communications
Dedicated short-range communications are one-way or two-way short- to medium-range wireless communication channels specifically designed for automotive use and a corresponding set of protocols and standards....
transponders were used to identify vehicles, and opting to use one was a precondition for using direct debit for the payment of the tax.
The Road Administration have claimed that traffic passing in and out of the cordon reduced by between 20 and 25% during the period of the trial, and that air quality improved; after the trial, traffic volumes built up again. 96% complied with paying the tax on time, which raised 399 m SEK during the period.
Referendum
Local consultative referendumReferendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
s regarding whether to permanently implement the congestion tax were held in Stockholm Municipality
Stockholm Municipality
Stockholm Municipality or the City of Stockholm is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. It is the largest of the 290 municipalities of the country in terms of population, but one of the smaller in terms of area, making it the most densely populated...
and several other municipalities in Stockholm County
Stockholm County
Stockholm County is a county or län on the Baltic sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm County is divided by the historic provinces of Uppland and Södermanland...
on September 17, 2006.
It was only the referendum in Stockholm Municipality that the at the time reigning government would use as a basis for the decision.
The municipalities surrounding Stockholm in Stockholm County
Stockholm County
Stockholm County is a county or län on the Baltic sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm County is divided by the historic provinces of Uppland and Södermanland...
, especially those that are part of the Stockholm urban area
Stockholm urban area
The Stockholm urban area is the largest and most populous of the statistical localities or urban areas in Sweden. It has no administrative function of its own, but constitutes a continuous multimunicipal built-up area, which extends into 11 municipalities in Stockholm County. It contains the...
, showed discontent with the fact that the people of those municipalities get no say whether the congestion taxes will be implemented permanently. A substantial number of the inhabitants of the nearby municipalities travel to and from work through the congestion tax area. Therefore several of these municipalities decided also to have local referendums. A municipality is allowed to hold a consultative referendum at any time, but as the congestion tax had to be decided at the national parliament level it was unclear how the results would be interpreted if the government there changed after the 2006 general election
Swedish general election, 2006
A general election was held in Sweden on 17 September 2006, to elect members to the Swedish parliament. All 349 seats were up for election: 310 "fixed seats" in 29 constituencies and 39 members at a national level for what are called "adjustment seats", used to ensure that parties have...
, which was held the same day as these referendums.
In Stockholm the question asked on the ballots was (translated from Swedish): :sv:Trängselskatt i Stockholm#Fördelning och demokrati
Environmental fees/congestion tax means that fees will be charged in road traffic with the purpose to reduce queuing and improve the environment. The income will be returned to the Stockholm region for investments in public transport and roads.
In the other municipalities the question on the ballots were (translated from Swedish):
Do you believe that congestion tax should be permanently introduced in Stockholm ?
Results
Results from the referendums. The figures and percentages do not include blank and invalid votes.| Municipality | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| # | Yes | No | |
| Danderyd Danderyd Municipality Danderyd Municipality is a municipality just north of Stockholm in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. It is one of the smallest municipalities of Sweden, but the most affluent... |
16,962 | 32.5% | 67.5% |
| Ekerö Ekerö Municipality Ekerö Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. The name comes from the island Ekerö, and literally means "Oak Island". Its seat is located in the town of Ekerö.... |
13,528 | 39.9% | 60.1% |
| Haninge Haninge Municipality Haninge Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in Handen.Haninge Municipality was formed in 1971 when Västerhaninge and Österhaninge were united.... |
37,548 | 40.8% | 59.2% |
| Lidingö Lidingö Municipality Lidingö Municipality is a municipality just east of Stockholm in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Lidingö... |
24,926 | 29.6% | 70.4% |
| Nacka Nacka Municipality Nacka Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located at Nacka. The municipality is situated just east of the capital Stockholm and the western parts are considered a suburban part of the Stockholm urban area.The present municipality was created in... |
44,785 | 42.9% | 57.1% |
| Nynäshamn Nynäshamn Municipality Nynäshamn Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Nynäshamn.... |
12,588 | 41.2% | 58.8% |
| Salem Salem Municipality Salem Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. The name traces its origins from Slaem in the 16th century, but was later changed to Salem, the Biblical name of Jerusalem... |
7,563 | 39.6% | 60.4% |
| Sollentuna Sollentuna Municipality Sollentuna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in Sollentuna.... |
32,409 | 40.8% | 59.2% |
| Solna Solna Municipality Solna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, located just north of the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the 'city' of Solna.... |
35,598 | 43.9% | 56.1% |
| Stockholm Stockholm Municipality Stockholm Municipality or the City of Stockholm is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. It is the largest of the 290 municipalities of the country in terms of population, but one of the smaller in terms of area, making it the most densely populated... |
458,786 | 53.0% | 47.0% |
| Tyresö Tyresö Municipality Tyresö Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Its seat is located in Bollmora.Most of Tyresö Municipality lies within the Stockholm urban area.-History:... |
22,526 | 44.3% | 55.7% |
| Täby Täby Municipality Täby Municipality is a municipality north of Stockholm in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Täby... |
35,630 | 34.2% | 65.8% |
| Vallentuna Vallentuna Municipality Vallentuna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Vallentuna.The current municipality was established as a result of the municipal reform of 1971... |
14,884 | 42.5% | 57.5% |
| Vaxholm Vaxholm Municipality Vaxholm Municipality is a municipality within Stockholm archipelago in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. The municipal slogan is "Vaxholm – the capital of the archipelago", due to its central location in the archipelago... |
5,699 | 45.9% | 54.1% |
| Österåker Österåker Municipality Österåker Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Åkersberga, with a population of 26,727 .From 1974 to 1982 Österåker was part of Vaxholm Municipality.... |
20,140 | 40.9% | 59.1% |
| Total excluding Stockholm | 324,786 | 39.8% | 60.2% |
| Total | 783,572 | 47.5% | 52.5% |
Interpretation of the results
Prior to, and a short while after, the election day it was not clear how big of an effect the results of the municipal referendums would have, especially for the referendums held in the municipalities other than Stockholm.The Social Democratic
Swedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
government prior to the 2006 general election
Swedish general election, 2006
A general election was held in Sweden on 17 September 2006, to elect members to the Swedish parliament. All 349 seats were up for election: 310 "fixed seats" in 29 constituencies and 39 members at a national level for what are called "adjustment seats", used to ensure that parties have...
(cabinet Persson
Cabinet of Göran Persson
Göran Persson served as Prime Minister of Sweden between March 22, 1996 and October 6, 2006. Persson took over after Ingvar Carlsson, who retired as party leader and Prime Minister...
) stated that they would only take into consideration the results of the referendum held in Stockholm Municipality, while the opposition parties (Alliance for Sweden
Alliance for Sweden
The Alliance , formerly Alliance for Sweden , is a political alliance in Sweden. It consists of the four centre-right parties in the Riksdag...
) stated that they would take into consideration the results of referendums the other municipalities as well if they won the election.
The opposition parties won the election and before they formed government (cabinet Reinfeldt
Cabinet of Fredrik Reinfeldt
The cabinet of Fredrik Reinfeldt is the current cabinet of Sweden. It is a coalition cabinet consisting of the four parties in the centre-right Alliance for Sweden: the Moderate Party, Centre Party, Liberal People's Party and the Christian Democrats...
) their party leaders announced on October 1, 2006 to implement the congestion tax permanently, and that the revenue would go entirely to new road constructions in and around Stockholm instead of entirely to public transport in Stockholm
Public transport in Stockholm
Public transport in Stockholm consists of bus, metro, regional/suburban rail, light rail, tram and archipelago boat operation in Stockholm County, Sweden. The bus and rail is organized by Storstockholms Lokaltrafik , SL, which is owned by the Stockholm County Council...
as it was during the trial period. The parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
approved the congestion tax on June 20, 2007, for reintroduction on August 1, 2007.
Double-charging Essingeleden–Bromma
Due to the asymmetric exit and entrance placement on the tax exempt EssingeledenEssingeleden
Essingeleden is a motorway that goes from Solna to Stockholm, Sweden, crossing the westmost parts of central Stockholm, by going over Kungsholmen, Lilla Essingen, and Stora Essingen....
motorway, southbound vehicles exiting from Essingeleden towards Bromma in the west, have to pass through two separate control points (No. 9 Lindhagensgatan Interchange and No. 8 Fredhäll/Drottningholmsvägen Interchange), effectively doubling the charge http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=E4+%4059.367740,+18.020310&daddr=275%2FDrottningholmsv%C3%A4gen+%4059.333950,+17.972300&mrcr=0&mra=pr&sll=59.346233,17.994747&sspn=0.039035,0.139732&ie=UTF8&z=13&om=1. It is possible though to avoid the congestion tax entirely in this situation by taking another route instead, e.g. Frösundaleden http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=E4+%4059.367740,+18.020310&daddr=59.350521,17.973289+to:275%2FDrottningholmsv%C3%A4gen+%4059.333950,+17.972300&mrcr=0,1&mrsp=1&sz=13&mra=dpe&sll=59.347458,18.00642&sspn=0.039033,0.139732&ie=UTF8&ll=59.346233,17.994747&spn=0.039035,0.139732&z=13&om=1.
Automatic number plate recognition
The automatic number plate recognitionAutomatic number plate recognition
Automatic number plate recognition is a mass surveillance method that uses optical character recognition on images to read the license plates on vehicles. They can use existing closed-circuit television or road-rule enforcement cameras, or ones specifically designed for the task...
has its shortcomings. Number plates from Finland and Lithuania
Vehicle registration plates of Lithuania
Standard vehicle registration plates in Lithuania bear three letters and three numbers in black lettering on a white background. The plates are usually of the standard EU dimensions, but can also be manufactured in the American dimensions for special import vehicles. All plates issued since 2004...
have a similar format compared to Swedish number plates, with three letters and three digits. The system can't see the difference, and a Swedish owner might falsely be charged. Also stolen and forged plates have caused false payment demand on innocent people.
See also
- Road pricingRoad pricingRoad pricing is an economic concept regarding the various direct charges applied for the use of roads. The road charges includes fuel taxes, licence fees, parking taxes, tolls, and congestion charges, including those which may vary by time of day, by the specific road, or by the specific vehicle...
- Congestion pricingCongestion pricingCongestion pricing or congestion charges is a system of surcharging users of a transport network in periods of peak demand to reduce traffic congestion. Examples include some toll-like road pricing fees, and higher peak charges for utilities, public transport and slots in canals and airports...
- Electronic toll collectionElectronic toll collectionElectronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...
- Milan EcopassEcopassThe Ecopass program is a traffic pollution charge implemented in Milan, Italy, as an urban toll for some motorists traveling within a designated traffic restricted zone or ZTL , corresponding to the central Cerchia dei Bastioni area and encircling around . The Ecopass was implemented as a one-year...
- San Francisco congestion pricingSan Francisco congestion pricingSan Francisco congestion pricing is a proposed traffic congestion user fee for vehicles traveling into the most congested areas of the city of San Francisco at certain periods of peak demand. The charge would be combined with other traffic reduction projects...
- Electronic Road Pricing (Singapore)
- Singapore Area Licensing SchemeSingapore Area Licensing SchemeThe Singapore Area Licensing Scheme , introduced in 1975, charged drivers entering downtown Singapore, and thereby aimed to manage traffic demand. This was the first urban traffic congestion pricing scheme to be successfully implemented in the world...
- Electronic Road Pricing (Hong Kong)Electronic Road Pricing (Hong Kong)The Hong Kong Electronic Road Pricing is an electronic toll collection scheme first proposed in Hong Kong as early as in the 1980s to manage traffic by congestion pricing...
- London Congestion ChargeLondon congestion chargeThe London congestion charge is a fee charged for some categories of motor vehicle to travel at certain times within the Congestion Charge Zone , a traffic area in London. The charge aims to reduce congestion, and raise investment funds for London's transport system...
- Manchester congestion charge
External links
- Swedish Road Administration Congestion tax in Stockholm