Analysts believe that Muscovites will find the strength to abandon personal cars when the time that they will lose daily in traffic jams will reach 5 hours. And this is considered the script not so unrealistic. However, traffic jams are a headache not only of the Russian capital. “MK” writes that problems related to mass jams on the main highways of the city began in London a few decades ago.
In the early 2000s, having suffered enough, London’s authorities still dared to carry out several unpopular decisions. A fee was introduced for entry into the historical center of the city throughout the working day. On each corner, camcorders were posted that scan the numbers of the machines and transmit data to the movement control center. I would try some driver not to pay for his travel through the center. If this is not done on the same day, then in a day they will already count a fine in tenfold.
Moreover, if someone lives in the central part of the city and goes home every day, this does not exempt him from paying the fee. For such drivers, a 10% discount is made. Only emergency services, taxi drivers and motorcycles are completely exempted from payment. So the choice of the residents of the center of London is small: either use public transport — or pay. Well, or transplant to a motorcycle.
And it worked. Many are eventually used to using city buses. The authorities increased their number in advance and took care of the organization of the allocated lanes.