Two government ministers are encouraging local authorities to impose higher tolls during the morning and afternoon commuter rush, to further discourage commuters from using their cars to get back and forth to work.
Both Erik Solheim, minister of the environment from the Socialist Left party (SV) and Transport Minister Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa of the Center Party promote higher tolls as among measures to reduce air pollution in Norwegian cities.
Kleppa noted that the city of Trondheim already has introduced a so-called “time differentiated” toll system for what he and Solheim called “køprising,” literally, putting a price on getting stuck in a queue. She praised the measure as a means of improving air quality and health and reducing traffic.
The measure met immediate opposition amidst a random sampling of motorists conducted by Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) and it’s unlikely to be introduced in Oslo, where it’s opposed by both the Conservative Party (now forming a new government in the capital) and the Progress Party.
Views and News staff