Best Practice

Introduction

Although most people use public transport to get around Milan, the city still has one of the highest European rates of car ownership and one of the highest concentrations of particulate matter among large European cities. It is for these critical reasons that the City of Milan launched several measures to address air pollution and traffic congestion. One such measure is an innovative road pricing scheme called Area C, a congestion charge aimed at reducing traffic pollution in the city of Milan and, consequently, improving quality of life for citizens and visitors alike.

Milan's Area C reduces traffic pollution and transforms the city center

Reason to Be Selected

Milan’s pricing scheme in C area is an innovational policy supported by intelligent techenic which helps increase the accuracy and efficiency of identify cars that meet the requirements.Also it provide various types of entrance tickets,encouraging the use of low-pollution vehicles.

Highlights:

A system of 43 electronic gates (7 of which are reserved for public transport vehicles), equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology efficiently supports the policy.Along with the policy encouraging low-emission, Area C has achieved important results in terms of mobility and the environment. There has been a significant reduction in concentrations of Black Carbon inside Area C compared to outside areas.

Details

Area C is a road pricing measure launched by the Municipality of Milan in January 2012 to improve the quality of life of those who live, work, study and visit the city. Area C is the restricted traffic zone in Milan's center that requires car drivers to pay a congestion charge. The area subject to the congestion charge is called Cerchia dei Bastioni, a Limited Traffic Zone (LTZ) of 8.2 km2, 4.5% of the whole territory of the Municipality of Milan. Citizens were directly involved in developing Area C. In June 2011, they were asked to vote in a public referendum on limiting traffic and increasing the uptake of low-emission vehicles in the city center. A 79% majority voted in favour of such a measure.

Access to Area C is limited on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 7:30 to 19:30, and Thursday from 7:30 to 18:00. Cars entering Area C are detected by a system of 43 electronic gates, equipped with ANPR technology.A daily entrance ticket costs €5, which covers all accesses made by the same vehicle during that day. There are various types of other entrance tickets for residents, service vehicles, and for parking garages, for example.

Mopeds, motorcycles, electric cars, vehicles for disabled people, public utility and public transport service vehicles, taxis, hybrid*, methane-powered*, LPG* and biofuel* cars are exempt from the charge.

Conclusions

Overall, Area C has provided great benefits to the city: less congestion, traffic, pollution, noise, and more space for walking and cycling. The reduction of cars circulating in the city center has enabled public space once reserved for parking to be reclaimed by pedestrians. Moreover, thanks to the reduction in traffic from Area C, the city’s whole transport system has benefitted. In fact, according to a statement of AICAI (Courier Aircraft Association), Area C has resulted in a 10% increase in productivity of freight deliveries in the city center.