If one catches a train to or from either of the two airport stations, there is a station access fee which is in addition to the normal ticket price. I have demonstrated that International Terminal is the cause of traffic problems even for traffic not going to International Terminal. And the traffic is causing pollution that exceeds the national standard.
The solution should therefore involve the removal of the station access fee to International Terminal. Instead charge people to drive to International Terminal on public roads, so that the change is revenue-neutral. Then there is an incentive to catch the train rather than drive.
Would such a change be fair and reasonable? I would say yes. It would be one thing if traffic jams caused by International Terminal caused problems only for people travelling there. But it causes problems for traffic that is not going to International Terminal. Why should we not only put up with this but keep in place a pricing distortion that creates a disincentive for people to catch public transport? Why should train travellers pay extra to go to the airport but not drivers of private cars?
The same change that I proposed for International Terminal would probably also make sense for Domestic Terminal but more research is required to make a similarly strong case for it.
