Smarter Urban Tolling for EU cities

Spain has announced that the long-awaited Sustainable Mobility Law is back on the agenda. One of the conepts to be included is the "urban toll". Replicating cities such as Stockholm, London or Milan, Spain contemplates that cities can implement systems of variable access by payment to the city.

 

Our Managing Director, Josefina de la Fuente, participates in this article in EL ESPAÑOL where she and three other experts analyze the concept of the Urban Toll.

 

Josefina stresses how the remote measurement of the real emissions of each vehicle is the perfect complement to implement a fairer, less aggressive and more efficient access system than other more generic policies.

 

OPUS RSE is working on several pilots to integrate RSD technology in toll systems. The solutions are aimed at increasing toll rates on freeways or in urban access to vehicles that have been measured with extreme emission levels, but at the same time rewarding those vehicles that have been measured with very low emission levels, giving free temporary access, applying discounts in parking lots or reducing their toll rates, thus encouraging fleet renewal and scrupulous car maintenance. 

 

Article: El Español

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The RSD increases the probability of finding an illegally tampered truck by 25x times

Using The Opus RSD as a warning system increases the probability of finding an illegally tampered truck by 25x times, compared to a blind inspection.

In the spring of 2021, vehicle emissions in and around the port of Antwerp-Bruges were measured by Opus remote sensing devices. The measurements confirmed that a small group of vehicles is responsible for a large part of the pollutant emissions, due to defects or fraud. Remote sensing makes it easier for inspectors to deal with the problem. Using the Opus RSD as an alerting system, targeted and effective measures can be taken to prosecute offenders and improve air quality.

 

It is clear that the RSD generates a much higher effectiveness of (scarce) roadside inspection staff and equipment, compared to “blind” roadside inspections, without the use of the RSD for pre-selection of inspected vehicles.

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Opus remote sensing screening vehicle emissions in Dehli, India

A TRUE Initiative study of real-world vehicle emissions has begun in Delhi National Capital Region, marking the first work of the Initiative in India.

As part of the TRUE initiative, Opus RSE and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) are collaborating with the Delhi Transport Department, National Highways Authority of India, and the Gurugram Administration to carry out a study using Opus remote sensing technology to measure vehicle exhaust emissions at more than 15 locations across the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), primarily in and around Delhi and Gurugram.

 

The TRUE study is an opportunity to collect up-to-date measurements of the current Delhi NCR fleet. More than 100,000 in-use vehicles will be measured at more than 15 locations in Delhi and Gurugram. TRUE, in collaboration with the Centre for Science and Environment, will complement the emissions testing study with a training session for government stakeholders to support wider adoption of remote sensing programs in Indian cities.

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Gipuzkoa tests variable tolls based on the actual emissions of each vehicle

A pilot test in the Basque Country, on February 6, tested the remote sensing of vehicle emissions in real time with the aim of establishing a system of variable tolls, which takes into account the actual level of polluting emissions of each vehicle.

 

"This type of technology offers us the opportunity to adjust tolling fees based on the real pollution emitted by vehicles and to have fairer rates", added Aintzane Oiarbide, Deputy for Road Infrastructures of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, although she pointed out that the decisions to be taken in this matter will be "positive" and not with the aim of "punishing" the older fleet of vehicles.

 

The A-636 highway, in a section connecting Beasain and Bergara, was the first to become toll road when it was previously free, while in the last few days the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa itself has also announced new toll roads, in this case only for trucks, in different sections of the N-240, the BI-625, the Txorierri Corridor, the N-636 and the A-8.

 

Beyond official theoretical values of consumption and emissions, this solution would make it possible to establish fairer pay-per-use systems.

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CARES remote emission sensing campaign in Prague completed

Following campaigns in Milan and Krakow, the CARES project recently completed the last city demonstration campaign in Prague, Czech Republic. Running from September 5 to September 23, the researchers used three types of contactless technologies—cross-road remote sensing, point sampling, and plume chasing—with the main objective of identifying high-emitting vehicles. The testing was carried out by the Czech Technical University of Prague, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Airyx, Graz University of Technology, OPUS RSE, TNO, with support from the Technical Faculty of Prague, the Transport Research Centre, NOx consulting, Traffic Police Service Department of the Central Bohemian Region Police Directorate, coordinated by the Directorate of the Traffic Police Service of the Police Presidium, TUV Nord CZ, IIASA, TU Dresden, the ICCT, and IVL.

 

During the campaign, over 100,000 vehicles were measured using cross-road remote sensing techniques in several locations. The data will provide a valuable overview of the vehicle fleet and related emissions. Cross-road instruments were co-located with point sampling, which alone measured over 20,000 records and will provide additional insight on vehicle black carbon and particle number emissions. Two plume-chasing vehicles were employed to detect high-emitting vehicles: a car equipped with NOx sensors and a van equipped with full-scope lab-grade analyzers. The researchers measured over 1,400 vehicles using this method, among which around 1,000 were heavy-duty vehicles. Early results suggest that over 12% of measured trucks had high NOx emissions of several times their emission limits, most likely related to tampering or malfunctions. The involvement of the national police allowed a fraction of those vehicles to be pulled over for further inspections. Cases of manipulation, defects, and suspicious engine software issues were discovered.

 

Although high-emitting vehicles represent a small fraction of the fleet, they disproportionally contribute to total emissions. The CARES project is helping to develop the tools needed for their identification on the road, which is paramount in the fight for better air quality.

Measurements of this campaign will be analyzed in detail in the upcoming months with the objective of helping policymakers to set plans to reduce traffic-related emissions and harm to the health of citizens.

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