National Coalition Party MP Sofia Vikman has rejected a proposal by officials at Finland’s Ministry of Transport and Communications to introduce congestion charges in major urban areas.
The ministry’s civil servants proposed regional congestion charges this week as part of their recommendations for Finland’s next government, which will take office after the 2027 parliamentary election.
The proposals have included charging motorists in major urban regions such as Helsinki and Tampere.
The paper is a civil-service policy recommendation rather than a proposal by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s current government. Its purpose is to provide information and policy options for the next government term.
Vikman argued that many people have no realistic alternative to using a car for commuting and everyday family life.
“For many Finns, a car is essential for getting to work and managing their family’s daily life. Filling the tank already takes too large a share of their pay. On top of that, we do not need a congestion charge that would amount to a new bill simply for going to work,” Vikman said in a statement.
She said the National Coalition Party opposes congestion charges and argued that reducing taxes on work would make little sense if the benefit were then offset by new charges on commuting.
According to Vikman, the location of workplaces, shift patterns and childcare arrangements can make driving unavoidable even in Finland’s largest cities.
“A nurse has to make it to a shift and a parent has to take a child to daycare. Not everyone’s daily life fits public transport routes and timetables,” she said.
“A congestion charge does not remove the need to use a car. It simply makes necessary travel more expensive.”
Ministry officials reopen debate over road pricing
The Ministry of Transport and Communications published its recommendations on Wednesday as guidance for the 2027–2031 government term.
Among the proposals is the introduction of congestion charges in Finland’s largest urban regions. The ministry’s wider package addresses the growing challenge of financing transport infrastructure as traditional tax revenues from motoring change during the transition towards lower-emission vehicles.
The idea has already prompted criticism from business groups as well as politicians. The Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce, for example, has opposed separate congestion charges for the Helsinki region while arguing that Finland will nevertheless need to reform the way road traffic is taxed and financed.
Vikman linked the debate to the recent surge in fuel costs and said the priority should instead be to keep the cost of driving under control.
The Finnish government agreed on Thursday on a €60 million package aimed at easing motoring costs for commuters and businesses. It includes €30 million in fuel support for the transport, agriculture and forestry sectors, as well as measures concerning vehicle taxation and the tax deduction for commuting expenses.
Vikman welcomed the fuel package but described the relief available to motorists as limited because of Finland’s strained public finances.
She argued that reducing government debt and interest costs would give future governments more room to respond when households face sudden increases in essential costs.
“Motorists need reasonable mobility costs, and Finland needs sustainable public finances,” Vikman said. “Congestion charges would only increase the bill for people who work.”