Ahead of the introduction of congestion-oriented pricing, governments should increase the availability of buses and demand-responsive networks and services (for example, by adding more services and bus lanes) and improve walking and cycling access to trains and buses.
This will give people choices that avoid incurring charges, and encourage new behaviours.
In addition, the public transport pricing regime should be reconfigured so fares reflect the quality of the travel experience.
For instance, the relative quality of bus compared to train travel, Journeys that involve interchanging between multiple services and non-peak travel should be reflected when setting fares.
This will ensure users get value for money by paying a reasonable amount for the quality of service they receive.
Changing prices will also change travel behaviours, so prices should be designed to promote more efficient use of services. For example, reducing the cost of some services relative to others will spread demand across the network.