Why the Attitude? - An analysis of attitudes towards the congestion charge in Gothenburg prior to implementation

Abstract

In 2013, congestion charge was implemented in Gothenburg after a decision taken by the local politicians. The public reactions have been many and loud, which have fostered the on-going discussion of a public referendum. This highlights the importance of public acceptability when implementing a policy that aims at dealing with negative externalities, such as congestion and pollution. By using ex-ante data from a survey sent to car owners in the region, this thesis aims at analysing if expected effects of the scheme and the self-image of being environmentally concerned are more determining for attitudes than socio-economic factors, as suggested by studies in other cities. The results indicate that attitudes are impacted the most by expectations about the effects of the scheme, the complexity of the scheme, whether it is considered unfair, if the respondent drives a car and to some extent, the stated environmental interest. This implies that the most important policy implication in order for policy-makers to achieve acceptance, is to provide the public with information that emphasises the positive effects of the charge.