The Stockholm trials 22 August 2005 - 31 July 2006

On 2 June 2003, the Stockholm City Council adopted a majority proposal to conduct a trial implementation of congestion charging. The formal decision on implementation was made through the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) issuing The Congestion Tax Act (2004:629) on 17 June 2004.

The trials started on 22 August 2005 with extended public transport. On 3 January 2006 the trial implementation of a congestion tax started. The trials were concluded by 31 July 2006. They have been evaluated continuously from a number of different perspectives. This evaluation was summarized in a report in early summer 2006.

A referendum on the continued implementation of congestion charging was held in conjunction with the general election on 17 September 2006. For end results, see link in the right hand menu.

What happens next?
The new Swedish government has decided to reintroduce congestion charging some time during the first half year of 2007. The final decision on continued congestion charging in the City of Stockholm will be made by the Swedish national parliament. No decisions have yet been made if there will be some changes or not compared with the trials, concerning rates, times, excemptions etc. At present there is no date set when the reintroduced congestion charges will start in 2007.

The government has nominated a special person responsible for negotiations with the 26 municipalities in the county of Stockholm on infrastructure investments in the Stockholm region, and the congestion charging is part of these negotiations.

The incomes from the reintroduced congestion charges/tax in Stockholm are to be used in partly financing a new by-pass road, "Förbifart Stockholm".