Will there be tolls on state-invested highways?

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang reported on receiving delegates' opinions on the Road Law project - Photo: GIA HAN

In response to the request from delegates to clarify the need to collect highway tolls in addition to road fees, the minister said the Ministry of Transport has researched and assessed the impact of collecting highway tolls.

According to him, the expressways invested by the State have parallel national highways allowing traffic participants to have the right to choose. Taking the expressway has many benefits due to saving time and saving transportation costs.

The current form of road toll collection does not separate regular road users and highway users.

The toll collection ensures the appropriateness between the contribution fee and the quality of use, based on the principle that users with higher quality must pay higher fees. Users who do not use the toll highway have the right to choose a parallel route.

Therefore, the draft law has added regulations on toll collection for expressways invested by the State. The collection level will be determined to ensure the conditions for exploitation of each area, in accordance with the quality of service. At the same time, it ensures the break-even of the State's investment capital to reinvest in infrastructure, ensuring annual maintenance costs.

Mr. Thang said that the collection of tolls on highways invested by the State has been applied by countries such as China, Japan, the US...

Collecting highway tolls ensures a balance between the interests of the people and the State, especially in the context of our country's limited budget.

Mr. Thang said that currently, road toll collection based on the number of vehicles only meets 35% - 40% of maintenance needs. If the expressway system is completed and put into operation without collecting tolls, it will require a huge budget for maintenance, which will be very difficult.

Some opinions say that the regulation that organizations and individuals using information technology applications such as Grab, Be... to support the connection between organizations and individuals providing transportation services with passengers and delivery services is classified as a type of passenger transport business by car is not consistent with the nature of the business.

The Ministry of Transport said in the draft law that the application of software to support car transportation connections is a road transport support service, not a transport business activity.

Only in the case where an organization or individual providing software services to support car transportation connection performs at least one of the following stages: operating vehicles and drivers, deciding on fares for transporting passengers and goods on the road for profit purposes, is it determined to be a transportation business.

Regarding the name of the Road Law, the minister proposed to keep it as in the draft. At the same time, accepting the opinions of the delegates, Mr. Thang said that he would coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to continue reviewing the two drafts of the Road Law and the draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety to avoid overlap./.

The first quarter of next year will issue standards on highways.

Many delegates suggested that there should be common regulations for expressways. Delegates suggested that even though the investment is divided into phases, any section invested in must be synchronized and meet standards and regulations.

According to Mr. Thang, the draft law has included regulations on highway investment. Specific requirements for highways, including investment in separate phases, will be studied by the Ministry of Transport when issuing national standards on highway design.

According to plan, the Government assigned the Ministry of Transport to issue highway standards in the first quarter of next year.

According to TTO

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/se-thu-phi-cao-toc-do-nha-nuoc-dau-tu-20231124130119676.htm

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