A report released Tuesday by independent public policy organisation, the Grattan Institute, advises NSW and Victoria's state governments to impose motorists driving in Sydney and Melbourne with a "small" congestion charge during peak hours to ease heavy traffic.
A congestion charge imposes a fee upon motorists during peak hours in congested areas. It may be incurred daily or whenever a motorist enters a congested zone.
Data from Google Maps showed that commutes to the CBDs of both cities can take more than twice as long as the same trips would take with free flowing traffic.
The report recommends putting the money raised into "improving" public transport and providing discounts on motor vehicle registration.
“Public transport fares in both cities should be cut during off-peak periods, to encourage people to shift their travel to times when the trains, trams and buses are not overcrowded."
Congestion in the city
Sydney
Sydney is ranked the 29th most congested city of 189 cities around the world according to the TomTom Index, and 81.3 per cent of the population - of just over five million - have at least one car.
A motorist can expect an average extra travel time of 39 per cent compared to when they are in free flowing traffic, with a morning peak hour increase at 67 per cent and evening peak hour increase of 68 per cent.
Melbourne
The southeastern city of Melbourne, where 83.9 percent of its 4.4 million population own at least one car, is ranked as the 58th most congested on the TomTom Index.
Motorists can expect an average of 33 per cent more travel time than free flowing traffic conditions.
The extra travel time is measured at an 55 per cent increase during morning peak hour and 58 per cent increase during the evening peak hour.
Dr Geoffrey Clifton, who specialises in transport and logistics management at the University of Sydney, tells SBS World News he agrees with a congestion charge.
"We have to design our road networks around the peak hours, so it makes sense if we charge them then than at other times of the days," he says.
But he says it should not be a tax.
Dr Clifton says the public must be provided with incentives such as cutting the cost of vehicle registration, eradicating the petrol excise, and investing the money raised into public transport.
However, he says "the ideal" model to manage congestion is a road-user charge, and recommends it be introduced after the initial congestion charge.
A road-user charge is based on a motorist’s location, the time of day they travel and the distance they travel, with the aim to reduce traffic across a larger area than the CBD and further discourage motorists from taking non-essential trips.
The NSW government isn't sold on the Grattan Institute's advise.
"This government will not be introducing a 'congestion tax'," acting roads minister Andrew Constance told AAP on Tuesday.
"Our targeted approach to encouraging people onto public transport has reduced the number of vehicles coming into the city by 11 per cent in the peak."
Other measures cities have tried to control traffic include banning odd number plates on certain days and even number plates on others or allowing certain coloured cars to drive on some days and not others. Jakarta, the capital and most populated city of Indonesia at more than 10 million, has trialled both.
But Dr Clifton says these measures discriminate.
"It tends to be that poor people can't drive certain days whereas wealthy people tend to have two cars," he says.
"It can work as a measure against air pollution, simply taking cars off the road short-term, but globally it's seen as an inequitable and not particularly effective solution."
How congestion charges fare around the world
Stockholm
Motorists in Stockholm, which has a population of 2.27 million, can expect an average of 28 percent extra travel time than free flowing traffic, which increases to 48 percent during morning peak hour, and 61 per cent during evening peak hour.
Motorists in Stockholm, which has a population of 2.27 million, can expect an average of 28 percent extra travel time than free flowing traffic, which increases to 48 percent during morning peak hour, and 61 per cent during evening peak hour.
It is ranked as the 92nd most congested city out of 189 cities.
Congestion charges were introduced in Sweden in 2006. It began as a seven-month trial and followed with a referendum where the majority voted in favour of the system.
It came into force as a traffic congestion and environment tax in August 2007 and has been operating since.
An evaluation of the trial conducted by MIT measured a 22 per cent decline in traffic passing into the charge zone over the course of 24 hours. 2010 OECD data shows traffic to and from Stockholm city centre declined by an average of 20 per cent since the charge was implemented.
While it faced initial resistance, by 2014 it had garnered the support of about two thirds of the population and every political party, according to the Centre for Transport Studies, Stockholm.
London
London is ranked as the 25th congested city in the world and at least 52 per cent of the 8.79 million population own a car.
Motorists can expect an average of 40 per cent extra travel time with an increase to 64 per cent during morning peak hour and an increase to 68 per cent during evening peak hour.
The congestion charge standard rate is set at £11.50 a day (close to AU $20) and was introduced in London in 2003. The initiative was pushed by Ken Livingston during his successful campaign for mayor in 2000.
Traffic in the city's charging zone had reduced by 27 percent from 2002, the government body responsible for transport, Transport for London, reports.
The city's congestion charge system led to 37 per cent more passengers entering the congestion charging zone by bus during charging hours in the first year.
A 2017 UK government study has measured it has cut down about 21 per cent of traffic flow since 2003.
Singapore
In 2015, it was estimated that 44 percent of households owned cars in Singapore and according to the TomTom Index, its traffic ranks 55th most congested in the world with an average congestion level that's 34 per cent higher than free flowing traffic.
In 2015, it was estimated that 44 percent of households owned cars in Singapore and according to the TomTom Index, its traffic ranks 55th most congested in the world with an average congestion level that's 34 per cent higher than free flowing traffic.
The 5.6 million-populated city state sees a 53 per cent increase in traffic during morning peak hour and 60 per cent during evening peak hour.
Singapore calls its congestion charge the Electronic Road Pricing System and motorists incur a fee every time they used price roads during peak hours.
It was introduced as the Area Licensing Scheme in 1975, which reduced traffic by 45 percent, and was replaced by the Electronic Road Pricing System in 1998, which decreased levels of traffic by a further 15 per cent, according to the Danish Architecture Centre.
However Dr Geoffrey Clifton says that Australia should not model from Singapore given its demographics, "Singapore is a very small city and a very large population" - and different public transport system.
Singapore has a "high class" public transport system, he says, and it has a high level of public transport users at 65 per cent.
With AAP
