新收費結構在緩解首都高速道路交通擁堵有一定效果

Yesterday the NHK On-line reported the following:

新料金体系で首都高の渋滞緩和に一定の効果

5月20日 5時48分

首都圏の高速道路で、先月から料金水準を原則統一する新たな料金体系を導入したところ、都心を通過する車の台数が１１％減少するなど、首都高速道路の渋滞の緩和に一定の効果が出ていることが分かりました。

高速道路各社は建設コストの違いなどから、道路ごとに料金水準が異なっていた首都圏の高速道路について、先月１日から原則、１キロ当たり３６．６円に統一する料金体系の変更を行いました。

国土交通省が先月１か月間の利用状況を調査したところ、都心を経由して東名高速道路と東北自動車道を結ぶルートの利用が、料金変更前と比べ半減しました。こうしたことから、首都高速道路で都心を通過する車の台数は１日当たり１１％減少し、渋滞で余計にかかった時間も９％短くなるなど、新たな料金体系の導入で首都高速道路の渋滞の緩和に一定の効果が出ていることが分かりました。

一方、料金体系の変更で、おおむね値下げとなった圏央道の１日当たりの利用台数は５％から８％ほど増えるなど、国土交通省では都心を通過する道路から首都高速道路の外側の環状道路への利用の転換が進んでいると分析しています。

国土交通省では新たな料金体系の効果を引き続き、検証していくことにしています。

(試譯文)

Since a unified standard charging principle was introduced last month on the freeway in metropolitan area, it was found that congestion was relaxed in the Capital freeway and that certain positive result was produced, such as the number of car which went through downtown had decreased by 11 % when the new charging system was in force.

About the freeway in the metropolitan area, each road had different charging standard due to the difference in construction costs; from the 1^st of last month all freeway companies in principle changed into a unified charging system of charging 36.6 yen per kilometer.

In a one-month-survey done by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport last month to investigated the situation on usage; those made use of the route in going through downtown where Tomei Expressway and Tohoku Expressway were connected had reduced by half when compared with before the charge was changed. For that reason, the number of car which went through downtown using the Capital freeway had decreased by 11 % each day; in a traffic jam, the extra time taken was shortened by 9 %. The introduction of a new charging system showed that there was a reduction in congestion in the Capital freeway and some positive results were produced.

On the other hand about price changes in the charging system, the price of Metropolitan inter-city Expressway had become cheaper, the usage number per day increased to about 8 % from 5%. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was analyzing the development in road usage changes: from passing through downtown for conversion to passing the Capital freeway’s outside ring road for conversion.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport would continue to examine the effect of the new charging system.

     It seems that drivers could easily adapt to new charging systems by choosing their most convenient routes.