Implementing congestion pricing policies in a MENA Region City: Analysis of the impact on travel behaviour and equity

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of implementing HOT lanes and/or cordon pricing as two types of congestion pricing policies on traveller's willingness to pay and travel behaviour in the city of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the MENA Region. In addition, the paper investigates the potential equity implication of implementing a cordon pricing policy. Trip conditions, travellers' socioeconomic characteristics, and mode shift are used as benchmarks to evaluate the impacts of implementing these policies. Different numerical indicators are selected to evaluate each strategy, such as willingness to pay, trip urgency, trip speed and distance, travellers' income, age, gender, nationality, and vehicle ownership. Data are collected through stated preference and revealed preference survey questionnaires. The results show that travellers from different socioeconomic groups are willing to pay to use HOT lanes to escape congestion and that willingness to pay increases as the trip conditions worsen. However, the overall effect of cordon pricing would be regressive. High-income travellers benefit the most, and they are willing to pay the charges to save travel time. Low-income travellers have to pay the toll or use public transportation more often.