Forming the social optimum of passenger flows in urban agglomerations in Russia

¹ Far Eastern Federal University, 690950, Vladivostok, Russia
² Graduated School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, 620002, Yekaterinburg, Russia

^a Corresponding author: i.a.mayburov@urfu.ru

Abstract

The article asserts the role of transport policy in making a city comfortable for living and tourism. A theoretical framework is built for reaching the social optimum of passenger flows. The authors argue that reaching the social optimum is only possible by implementing a system of measures that would encourage the use of public transport and, in parallel, by implementing measures that would discourage people from using private cars. Substantiation is provided for an idea that an unregulated urban transport system is less effective than a regulated transport system that provides targeted incentives and deterrents for various personal preferences of city dwellers in order to reach the social optimum. The authors that variable taxes have the strongest effect on travel behavior. Comparative analysis is done of the specific features of various types of variable transport taxes. The authors propose measures for encouraging the use public transport and calculate the fiscal impact of introducing a distance-based toll levy in Yekaterinburg. The authors argue that a charge that vary by the time of day will make it possible to ensure a more even use of roads and parking space.