CONGESTION CHARGE AND REMOTE WORKING: POLICY INSIGHTS FROM SPATIAL EQUILIBRIUM MODELS

Building on recent research on congestion charge and remote working across urban economics, urban planning, and transport economics, this thesis investigates key topics related to 1) the spatial effects of congestion charge (single- vs multi-city, with or without travel time saving) and various tax revenue redistribution schemes (even vs place-based distribution); 2) the spatial effects of remote working due to the uncertainty of the preference in housing expenditure for remote workers, and 3) a combined use of congestion charge and remote working policy to promote balanced development at the city-regional level. Existing spatial general equilibrium models are extended and then applied to quantify the spatial effects. The structure of the paper-based thesis is as follows. Chapter 1 presents the overall analytical framework and the interdependence of the three papers to be presented subsequently. Chapter 2 reviews the economic modelling of urban planning policies. Chapter 3 evaluates the impacts of congestion charge policies under different tax revenue recycling schemes and their effects across hierarchical cities in a large city region. Chapter 4 explores how uncertainty in consumption preferences between goods and housing expenditure among remote workers influences population distribution and emphasises the distinct spatial effects that arise. Chapter 5 examines the impacts of congestion charge policies under the influence of remote work and discusses the potential combined use of the two to achieve polycentric city-regional development. Chapter 6 outlines the policy implications and research limitations and provides directions for future research.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Li, Yibin

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Wan, Li

• Spatial General Equilibrium Model
• Congestion Charge Policy
• Remote Work
• Hybrid Work
• Urban Model
• Urban Policy

Licence

• https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/cfb06e9e-e01f-407f-b7da-9e242a5c2a98/download
• http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved

Language dc:language

eng

Author Identifier

0009-0007-4925-6727

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/388376