Congestion Pricing Scheme in Mashhad, Iran: Overview Description, Impacts and Behavioural Responsiveness

The cordon pricing scheme is an efficient measure to untie congestion and environmental problems in urban metropolitan areas. Since March of 2007, Mashhad has implemented a restricted Central Business District (CBD) Zone as a seasonal congestion management program. The primary goal of the Mashhad cordon scheme is to reduce traffic congestion throughout the CBD. This paper describes the main features and traffic impacts of Mashhad cordon pricing. In addition, driver's responsiveness to mode and parking attributes and cordon and parking fees are also discussed. Two different surveys were conducted to assess user's attitudes towards the scheme. Based on a traffic volume survey, a high sensitivity to the cordon pricing scheme was reported, as reflected by the 36% decrease in private car travel, crossing the cordon line. A face-to-face survey shows that the in-vehicle and cordon costs as mode effective attributes include the least and the most effects on mode choice, respectively. Furthermore, private car users accepted the current fee as a parking cost, whereas the cordon cost was expressed as a high cost for entering the restricted traffic zone.