Sweden's second city plans road toll to cut traffic

(Sandra Kemppainen)

Sweden's second city Gothenburg plans to introduce a road toll in 2013 similar to one adopted in Stockholm, the city council said following a vote late Thursday.

"The issue will now be put to the government. A decision about a congestion charge will be taken by parliament this spring and the plan is for the congestion charge to be introduced in 2013," a statement said.

The system, aimed at financing infrastructure investments, reducing greenhouse gases and cutting traffic in the city centre by around 15 percent, will include some 40 toll stations around the city.

Gothenburg, located on Sweden's west coast, has some 506,000 inhabitants.

The charge would be similar to the one levied in Stockholm in 2007, where motorists entering and leaving the city Monday to Friday pay between 10 and 20 kronor (1.50 and 3.00 dollars, 1.10 and 2.20 euros), depending on the time of day, with an upper limit of 60 kronor a day.

A number of other cities have introduced similar toll schemes, including London, Rome and Singapore.