Urban Road Pricing Reframed: A Critical Review of Imperativeness and Relevance for the Twenty-First Century Cities in Polycrises

<div> This critical review analyses road pricing as a pivotal instrument for governing urban polycrises-the convergence of climatic, social, technological, and fiscal shocks. By evaluating seminal theories from Pigou, Vickrey, and Smeed alongside Singapore's Area Licensing Scheme, this study identifies the limitations of classical models amidst current mobility disruptions. While addressing traditional debates regarding equity, privacy, and political acceptability, the paper proposes that integrating emerging technologies, such as edge computing and advanced telematics, overcomes historical implementation barriers, transitioning conventional tolling into real-time urban governance.&nbsp; </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> Furthermore, twelve innovative framings are introduced to expand the scope of road pricing to include the regulation of electric, connected, and automated vehicles (eCAVs) and automated logistics. Given the erosion of fossil fuel tax revenues and increasing climate-related volatility, the study argues that pricing based on distance and spatial occupancy is the most robust mechanism for ensuring urban resilience. The analysis concludes that road pricing should function as the city's "operating system"-a governance framework where algorithmic efficiency is subordinated to a social contract of spatial justice, redistributing revenue to subsidise public transport and mitigate structural inequalities. </div>