Title: Estimating the impact of road traffic pricing on residential property values: an investigation of the London congestion charge

Authors: John Glen, Joseph G. Nellis

Addresses: School of Management, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK. ' School of Management, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK

Abstract: A congestion charge was introduced in the centre of London in February 2003. At the outset, the charge was justified by local policy makers on the basis of an expected reduction in car journeys which would result in improvements in environmental amenity, relating to increased journey speeds across all transport modes, reduced accidents and reduced pollution. In so far as this proved to be the case we would expect the improved environmental amenity to be capitalised into increased local residential property values. Simultaneously, vocal |anti| traffic congestion charge lobbies suggested that the introduction of such a scheme would be detrimental to local residents in terms of increased motoring costs and the inability of road pricing to deliver expected benefits. This paper examines the extent to which these competing influences on residential property values have impacted house prices in Greater London subsequent to the introduction of road pricing.

Keywords: road traffic pricing; residential property values; hedonic function; environmental amenities; London congestion charge; local residents; road pricing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2011.042319

International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2011 Vol.3 No.5, pp.576 - 592

Published online: 22 Apr 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article