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Cash rolls in for German tolls
Page 10
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In just 12 months of operation, Germany's truck-tolling system has
netted its operators several billion Euros. Chris Tindall reports.
THE FIRST ANNUAL results for the satellite-based truck-tolling operation in Germany reveals an income of E2.85bn in the first 12 months.
The country's Transport Minister, Wolfgang Tiefensee, says that in November alone, toll revenue was €260m. He adds that the motorway charge is making a "significant contribution to financing the traffic infrastructure" and has reduced empty truck journeys by 15%.
He adds: "At the same time the number of containers switched from road to rail has increased by 7% This clearly demonstrates that the truck toll is contributing to environmentally friendlier transport in Germany.
However, according to liefensee's department, the introduction of the toll has also caused an increase in HGV traffic on sections of the subsidiary road network.To counter this there is a proposal to toll eight sections of the non-motorway road network.
Although the tolling system was dogged by delays and technical problems before its introduction in January 2005, only 0.7% of the toll statements that have so far been sent out to the 944,300 toll users have been challenged.
Tiefensce also announced a mandatory update to the on-board units (OBU) installed by more than 480,000 regular users of the Autobahns. The update. OBU2, was introduced al the start of the year and will allow additional toll-route segments to be included in the system via a radio signal.
Don Armour, the Freight Transport Association's manager of international affairs, says the upgrade is free.
christophentindall@rbi.co.uk