The PATS approach

It is generally accepted that pricing policies require appropriate financial schemes, which in turn call for an organisational structure able to produce the right compensatory measures.

The PATS project aims to bring new and deeper knowledge on the conditions to enhance acceptability of pricing schemes in the transport sector by integrating those requirements in the underlying organisational environment. The economic relevance of the research lies also in its added value in enabling a more market oriented approach, through the knowledge of the reasons for opposition and acceptability of pricing schemes, which in turn enables the improvement of the organisation and management of the transport systems.

The aim of this project is to:

• Identify the reasons behind the attitude of acceptance/non-acceptance of transport pricing, and the arguments that support those standpoints;
• Find the means and measures to increase its acceptability;
• Analyse of the distributional effects of pricing;
• Identify the legal and political barriers to the implementation of pricing schemes;
• Design acceptable pricing schemes and policy packages, taking account of efficiency and fairness issues.

In assessing transport pricing policy options, public acceptance becomes a "sine qua non" condition to guarantee the successful implementation of these schemes. The project will examine in detail cases where pricing schemes failed to be implemented and the reasons behind it. Based on these experiences and on the theoretical and empirical findings achieved during the research, new solutions for the design of pricing schemes will be proposed.

The final objective of the PATS research is to provide recommendations for the choice of alternative options to follow, considering the constraints that might be imposed by the departure conditions, and keeping in mind that the implementation of pricing strategies is first of all a political decision.