The Notion of Road Space - Research Paper Example

Transport Economics Introduction In current scenario, most of the transport economists as well as opined that road space rationing is regarded as an alternative to road pricing mechanism, which takes into concern preserving environment by reducing congestion in the transportation medium. With this concern, the term paper tends to highlight the application of road space rationing as the significant measure of reducing the environmental issues by investigating various empirical evidences and applications. Moreover, the discussion will also reach into a proper conclusion determining whether the notion of road space rationing can be duly considered as an alternative measure to implement congestion pricing policy1,2. 2. Discussion of the Concept In this modern day context with the increase in the private vehicles, the issues relating to environmental concern have been enlarged by a considerable extent. It can be apparently observed in this similar context that since from the 21st century, there has been continuous increase of air pollution and overcrowding in various nations throughout the globe. This has significantly been the major point of environmental concern worldwide. In this regard, the road space rationing policy has been introduced in distinct nations, which preserved the environment by reducing traffic in the road and providing proper transportation management. This particular policy allows the drivers to restrict to enter into particular landscape based upon the vehicles number and timeframe. The even-odd license plate policy, end-number policy, passenger car purchase policy and yellow label car policy among others have been taken into concern by various nations for lessening unwanted traffic and high environmental concern. Thus, in broader context, it can be asserted that the idea of road space rationing is an important method based on which the respective governments take preventive steps to reduce traffic congestion in any particular location. This is mainly conducted through minimizing the involvement of high vehicles in certain locations with respect to license plate numbers. The method is generally applicable in most of the nations during the peak periods or occurrence of any special event. The objective behind the implementation of such a measure is to reduce the involvement of vehicles in traffic jams and likewise diminish the pollution level. Besides, with the significant increase in the travel demands of the people, this measure helps in offering proper management strategy by trimming down various negative externality aspects in transportation means. Also, various cities including Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Costa Rica among others have implemented the road space rationing method in various occasions especially during the rush and peak hours to reduce air pollution and other environmental issues. Theoretically, it can be found that the measure of road space rationing significantly contributes in lessening congestion by a considerable extent3. It can be apparently observed that there lay certain easy based on which the above stated mechanism can diminish the gaining momentum of congestion level. In this similar context, one of such ways can be determined as promoting the congestion charging procedures. Apart from this, the other ways comprised working over the chief traffic pollutants, effectively accommodating the users of the displaced cars and frequently monitoring the adverse conditions of congestion. It can be affirmed from a broader understanding that the policy of road space rationing has become quite popular in this modern day context over congestion pricing due to varied reasons. These reasons included raising level of environmental concerns, gaining momentum of urban congestion, augmenting car ownership and feeling the necessity to lessen the issue of environmental degradation among others4. Correspondingly, the congestion pricing policy is also been adopted by various economies through charging the owners of the public vehicles and measuring the excess demand including the peak charges in the bus services, consumption of electricity, railways and road pricing among others. Moreover, this policy of the pricing strategy allows the government authorities to regulate demand and manage congestion in the means of transportation without increasing the supply. In general, there lay four variables based on which the congestion pricing policy is charged to the vehicle owners. These variables include charges on lanes, toll charges for using roadways, carbon charges and area-wide charges. Besides, in this regard, it has been often argued that through limiting the type of pricing strategy, the higher amount of environmental concerns, expansion and financial constraints will also get limited at large. Additionally, with the increase in the level of high congestion in the global market, major impacts can be apparently observed to get imposed over economic efficiency, environment, public health and social welfare. However, major difficulties have been faced while enduring this pricing strategy i.e. congestion pricing policy in the real scenario, as a majority of the travelers as well as the public vehicle owners strongly opposed this policy. Likewise, the application of the policy in any particular city is only possible if this proves to be quite beneficial for the public and also the environment. Notably, the vehicles are incorporated with certain electronic devices known as tags and thus, based on the pre-assigned rates, the owners are charged with congestion charges. Thus, the users generally charge higher amounts in the peak hours as compared to less-popular time or even non chargeable in various occasions. The main reason behind the implementation of this measure will be reducing the traffic and also increasing the road capacity by utilizing the revenues earned from the same. Moreover, by executing the policy of congestion pricing, the users of the vehicles can be encouraged to use roadways immensely during the peak periods5. 3. Hypothesis Testing The study aims at recognizing and determining whether the road space rationing can be duly considered as an alternative to congestion pricing strategy towards making better perceived stability in the congestion. To attain this result and further conclude in this respect, certain hypotheses have been drawn. Justifiably, in the current scenario, with the increased level of high public as well as the private vehicles, varied environmental issues are gradually increasing. Thus, government officials and various other authorities often found difficulty in coping up with the increasing supply and availability of valuable resources. In this regard, the following hypotheses have been drawn for this particular study: H0: Road Space Rationing is duly considered to be an alternation to Congestion Pricing H1: Road Space Rationing cannot be regarded as an alternation to Congestion Pricing 4. Research Methodology Overview Research methodology plays an imperative part in conducting a study efficiently by collecting valuable data in order to resolve and draw a proper conclusion in a systematic order. Moreover, based on this approach, a proper analysis is conducted for explaining, describing and enduring the needful phenomena of any subject matter6. It has been earlier mentioned that the aim of this particular research study is to identify the role of road space rationing as a needful major to minimize the congestive issues in transportation context. The research design of this particular study is fundamentally based on the approach of qualitative method. Moreover, secondary data has been collected for drawing out appropriate outcomes and reaching into a valid conclusion. The secondary date was mainly collected from reviewing varied secondary sources including scholarly based journals, books and articles. Specially mentioning, a qualitative approach has been undertaken in this research study, as this method seems to be quite reliable in nature. Moreover, it could also help in removing the complexities in the research procedure. Research Design In order to complete the research within a predetermined timeframe, a specific research design has been framed. The study comprised a series of steps, which assisted in attaining the research objective in an effective and proper manner. At the first phase, it is important to determine the objective of the study, which is to recognize whether road space rationing, is an alternative to congestion pricing method or not. The second phase denotes the plans based on which data has been collected and analyzed efficiently. Next phase emphasizes determining the data collection method. In relation to this research study, secondary data has been collected for conducting an efficient analysis7. Data Collection Method Data collection is regarded as one of the key dimensions in any particular research study, which supports in accomplishing its desired objective(s) effectively. In relation to the aforesaid research study, varied secondary sources have been taken into concern for gathering relevant and valuable data. One of these secondary sources included reviewing scholarly based journals and articles based on the subject matter of road space rationing and congestion pricing. Data Analysis The data analysis in relation to the study has been primarily based on qualitative approach. Conceptually, qualitative method is often characterized by gathering and evaluating textual data. Thus, qualitative research method has been selected for this particular research study, while the quantitative method is disregarded. The approach has assisted in acquiring adequate information in relation to the subject manner. Analysis and interpretation of the collected data were conducted with the assistance of reviewing different literatures8. Specially mentioning, the primary reason behind the rejection of quantitative method is that this approach might prove to be quite difficult in managing as well as collecting valuable data due to varied complexities included in its procedure. Moreover, it is argued that the use of qualitative method provides an understanding about the subject matter of any research study in a much comprehensive manner. Qualitative research provides richer explicatory data and enables in-depth examination of complex phenomena in a way that cannot be attained with the use of quantitative approach. Ethical Considerations Any research study must be conducted effectively with due consideration of ethical concerns in order to ensure proper appropriateness in its findings and acceptance to the readers. In this context, relevant data was obtained from reliable sources based on the previous evidences and literature works of different authors. Moreover, the findings deciphered in such literatures have also been given prime importance for making the study more effective and acceptable for future references. Thus, the data collected from secondary sources were ensured to be obtained from valid sources and current data relating to the subject matter of the study9. Limitations of the Research In this study, a qualitative approach has been applied with the intention of accomplishing the predetermined research objectives. One of the major limitations of the method relating to the study can be ascertained as the generalization of the results. Accordingly, the research reviewed the policy of road space rationing, which is duly considered to be an alternation to congestion pricing for preserving the generalization of the data. Moreover, as the study has been primarily based on utilization of the secondary data, any manipulation or fault in previous publications may also distort the reliability of the subject. Besides, in this respect, application of only the qualitative approach would have reduced the criticality of the findings. In this respect, both primary and secondary data were collected in order to cope up with the limitations. 5. Literature Review According to Han et al.10 the notion of road space rationing mechanism has been implemented in varied cities based on the number plates of the vehicles for restricting their access to a particular network. Conceptually, it is regarded as one of the prime strategies, which assists in lessening congestions in roadways and mitigating varied environmental issues. It can be affirmed in this context that with creating greater awareness about the benefits of implementing this method, various environmental issues can be resolved through air pollution reduction. This restrictive system can be apparently observed to get implemented in various cities of most of the nations throughout the globe for ensuring that the road congestion problems are duly solved in an effective manner. Similarly, as observed by Nakamura & Kockelman11 pricing and rationing plays an imperative role not only in reducing the rush of the vehicles in any city, but also saving environment and energy enormously. Moreover, Nakamura & Kockelman also claimed that the implementation of the policy of road space rationing, as an alteration to congestion pricing, will not ensure greater maintenance of environmental concerns and roadway congestions, unless people are aware about its execution in a broader manner. It can be ascertained that the measure of road space rationing has gained immense popularity in this present day context as compared to the mechanism of congestion pricing due to increased level of globalization as well as internationalization and rising number of car ownership among others. Besides, effective awareness will also help the respective governments to reduce carbon emission and air pollution by a considerable extent. Moreover, this can help people to remain much aware about the issues that might possibly arise through such consequences. Thus, it can be ascertained that during the starting phase of implementation of this mechanism, citizens should be aware and recognise the reasons as well as the benefits of the same for future acceptance. It is worth mentioning that the basic idea behind the utilization of congestion pricing strategy is to manage the issue of overcrowd or congestion in the road with ensuring the conduct of maximum social welfare. In relation to the viewpoints of Carvallo & Lizana12, it can be apparently noted that since the end of the 20th century, the issues of congestion along with air pollution have been significantly increased in the Latin American cities. Thus, in order to overcome this problem, officials and the respective governments of such cities have adopted significant reforms by implementing the policy of road space rationing. In order to avoid any negative consequence, governments of certain nations are found to be quite reluctant in using the price based mechanism including the congestion pricing and possession of taxes among others. On the other hand, in relation to the study conducted by Song et al.13, the Pareto-improving policies including the congestion pricing as well as road space rationing can be duly measured. It was strongly revealed in the study that the above stated policies significantly offered high level of flexibility in a most prominent way for the Pareto-improvement with the help of congestion pricing and road space rationing measure. This study explored the road space rationing policy, which is assisted to regulatory demand management and proves to be a helpful measure for addressing the issue of road congestion in different cities including the Athens, Mexico City, Beijing, Santiago and Guangzhou among others. Furthermore, the plate-number-based road space rationing measure also aided in reducing and mitigating the issues of air pollution and congestion at large. Song et al.14 also advocated that the prime reasons behind the proposed policy are to provide improved benefits and strengthen the policies associated with social welfare. In accordance with the road space rationing policy, the users need to pay based on the tools of accessing roadways that are restricted. Also, the users need to pay tolls for using restricted roadways under road space rationing policy, while on the other hand, all users are compelled to pay tolls in the congestion pricing policy. Moreover, in both the policies, the realization of pricing seems to be quite different. Thus, the proposed hybrid policies highly prove to be improving approach in achieving the contradictory goals, efficiency and high public acceptance respectively. In this respect, it can be concluded that road space rationing method is proved to be an effective mechanism and regulatory policy instrument, which has been implemented effectively in various cities over the years. Moreover, the policy facilitates to reduce the road capacity mainly during the rush periods. Likewise, it allows the users to restrict using their own automobiles by using alternative means of transportation including the public transportation. Grange & Troncoso15 affirmed in this context that with the growing increase in the ownership and demand of the motor vehicles in a noteworthy manner, traffic congestion is becoming the major issue for the traffic management agencies. Besides, the emissions generated from the traffic often make the respective governments of the nations to devise and use appropriate policies. 6. Analysis and Interpretation of Findings With regards to the research study, which is mainly about determining whether the policy of road space rationing can be duly considered as an alteration to congestion pricing, the secondary data has been mainly acquired from analyzing various literatures and peer reviewed journals. In this similar context, the findings of the research study revealed significant information with respect to the implementation of road space rationing mechanism instead of congestion pricing method for mitigating the issue of increased level of roadway congestion. It can be apparently observed in this regard that road space rationing has been incorporated with diversified as well as needful measures owing to increased demand of the vehicles by the people, which significantly imposed adverse impact on the environment. In this regard, road space rationing measure provides the opportunities to the governments as well as other local authorities to address and mitigate the issue concerning environmental degradation. The findings of the study also revealed that in various cities throughout the globe, people became much aware about the adverse effects of roadway congestion. In this similar perspective, Carvallo & Lizana16 implied that in most of the cities of Latin America, the policy of road space rationing has been embraced owing to changing environmental pressures. Most importantly, it can be found that in Colombia, through the implementation of the road space rationing measure, 25% decrease in traffics and congestion can be witnessed. The findings also advocated the result that the policy aided in lessening 45% of CO2 and 35% of ozone. Similarly, Mexico also underwent the similar kind of scenario with the reduction of around 5% traffic. The findings of the survey conducted by Nakamura & Kockelman17 also revealed the fact that the mechanism of road space rationing can be duly considered as an alternative measure to congestion pricing. This can be justified with reference to the fact that the method of congestion pricing is often viewed to be a time-varying pricing mechanism, imposing adverse impact on effective implementation of the same during non-peak conditions. It can be apparently observed that the people of certain cities like San Francisco visiting a particular roadway experience different pricing charges in distinct scenarios. Justifiably, people are charged ranging from $0 to infinite as the toll charges. Besides, it has also been apparent that the policies including road space rationing and congestion pricing are regarded as the measures to increase the utility of every class of the travelers and deemed to be the way of generating revenue through toll. People who visit or use a particular roadway as compared to others owing to prefer public transportation mean was to just avoid from being charged. From the above survey conducted, relevant information regarding the viewpoints of the people about the impacts of road space rationing can be obtained. This signified that the people often remains much inclined towards avoiding the use of personal vehicles for avoiding congestion charges and as an alternative, uses other transportation means like metro. According to the study conducted by Han et al.18 it can be ascertained that lack of awareness regarding the road space rationing policy may affect the growth of this significant measure. It will be vital to mention that through creating adequate awareness, governments and higher authorities can enhance the level of demand of the vehicles, which will ultimately help in lessening adverse environmental impacts. Moreover, the study of Han & et al.18 highlighted that road space rationing mechanism helps in providing more support to the people as compared to the cost based system, as it reduces the system cost through creating reduction in the traffics more efficiently. Similarly, Grange & Troncoso19 claimed that this mechanism thus assisted in providing alternative measures along with the other policies to significantly undertake the step towards addressing along with mitigating varied environmental concerns. Moreover, as noted by Song et al.20 congestion pricing and road space rationing are the two different mechanisms through which governments can take significant measures to reduce the emissions and get benefited in terms of providing better social welfare while intending to purchase or select the lesser polluted vehicles. It can be also acknowledged that with the combination of both the mechanisms, a greater level of flexibility can be established over implementing only the single road space rationing method. Correspondingly, from the above stated analysis of the secondary research, it can be ascertained that there exist certain factors, which need to be taken into concern for implementing the policy of road space rationing. In this similar context, the factors can be ascertained as generating greater awareness about the environmental concerns, reduction in traffic, congestion, restricting norms and providing better means of social welfare. Moreover, the other factors entail reducing carbon or air pollution and making deliberate efforts towards making the road space rationing and congestion pricing methods as effective measures. In this similar context, both the method seems to be much attractive in the form of establishing better governance framework along with proper administrative and revenue allocation as well as controlling mechanism. 7. Conclusion The prime intent of this research study is to determine whether the method of road space rationing can be duly considered as an alternative measure of congestion pricing. Thus, it is quite obvious that the research study intended to discuss and analyze the applicability of road space rationing method in addressing varied environmental concerns over the method of congestion pricing. In this similar context, the above analysis of varied secondary sources ascertained that road space rationing mechanism restricts the vehicles to use particular roadways in order to avoid the problem of high rush, congestion as well as traffic, which ultimately lead towards causing high environmental issues. Moreover, the growing demand of the vehicles also raises the probability of making significant growth in the level of carbon emission along with generating wide range of related issues. In order to attain the desired objective of the study, a qualitative research approach has been adopted. Furthermore, the secondary data method has been used for deriving proper conclusion and appropriate findings. Evidently, as the congestion pricing is difficult to implement, significant threat of acceptance of this measure by the citizens eventually result in embracing the mechanism of road space rationing by a considerable extent. Thus, based on the above analysis and discussion, it can be concluded that the method of road space rationing can be duly considered as an alternative option to congestion pricing, which can generate varied positive outcomes as compared to the other approach i.e. congestion pricing. These positive outcomes can be measured in the form of lessening maximum level of environmental concerns like increased level of carbon emissions and addressing along with mitigating the issue of roadway congestion in an effective manner. References Carvallo, E. I., & Lizana, P. (2011). Transportation policy in Latin America. Pontificia Universidad Catolica De Chile, 1-41. Grange, L. D., & Troncoso, R. (2011). Impacts of vehicle restrictions on urban transport flows: The case of Santiago, Chile. Acta XV Chileno de Ingeniería de Transporte, 1-18. Han, D., Yang, H., & Wang, X. (2010). Efficiency of the plate-number-based traffic rationing in general networks. Transportation Research, 46, 1095-1110. Halai, A. (2006). Ethics in qualitative research: issues and challenges. Retrieved from http://www.edqual.org/publications/workingpaper/edqualwp4.pdf Johnson, B. R., Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Turner L. A. (2007). Toward a definition of mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(2), 112-133. Kumar, R., (2010). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. United States of America: Saga. Nakamura, K., & Kockelman, K. M. (2001). Congestion pricing and road space rationing: An application to the San Francisco bay bridge corridor. Transportation Research 36(5), 403-417. Rajasekar S., Philominathan, P., & Chinnathambi, V. (2013). Research methodology. Retrieved from http://arxiv.org/pdf/physics/0601009.pdf Song, Z., Yin, Y., Lawphongpanich, S., & Yang, H. (2012). A pareto-improving hybrid policy for transportation networks. TRB, 1-16. United States Department of Transportation. (2014). What is congestion pricing. Retrieved from http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/congestionpricing/sec2.htm Read More