SANRAL gets ready to implement Cabinet approved Gauteng toll

THE South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has welcomed Cabinet’s decision on the toll tariffs for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP), and now plans to set about implementing the programme.

“Following this Cabinet announcement, the recommended toll tariffs will be gazetted, after which all relevant costs and discounts, details on the phased e-toll registration, as well as the toll commencement date, will be communicated to the public,” the agency said in a statement.

Cabinet , last week, approved the final toll tariffs for the first phase of the GFIP. The revised structure will see motorcycles paying 24c/km, light weight vehicles 40c/km, medium trucks R1/km, and heavy trucks R2/km. It was also announced that qualifying taxis and bus services would be exempt from paying toll fees.

These rates are based on vehicles fitted with an e-tag, and do not include other concessions, such as frequent user and off-peak discounts, which are still valid under the revised fee structure.

Usual suspects to foot the bill

Meanwhile, the Automobile Association (AA) has criticised the toll tariff structure. “The AA does not see the implementation of tolls, albeit at a slightly discounted rate, as a ‘victory for the people on the ground’ as coined by Government spokesperson Jimmy Manyi. Rather, it seems that with the exclusion of public transport from tolling, the usual suspects are left to foot the bill – more like another blow to the head of the motorist than a victory for the people,” says Gary Ronald, AA spokesperson. “Commodities are going to cost more as a direct result of the tolls and effectively, the poor will be worst off.”
The issue of civil disobedience will be the next hurdle for government to overcome, he says. “If the public rally together and stand firm in the face of tolling by not registering for e-tags and flagrantly disregarding tolling costs and consequent fines, will the authorities have the wherewithal to manage a disgruntled 5 million motorists?”

Savrala has also criticised Cabinet for its approval of the new tariffs, saying Government is “clearly desperate to implement [the tolling system] at any cost”.

“Savrala has often applauded the GFIP upgrades and is not unwilling to pay its respective share, but is yet to be convinced that the current urban toll model is the most efficient and cost effective.”

In a statement, the association said an independent transport regulator should have been put in place at the beginning of this process to ensure that there was reasonable oversight and due administrative process. “In its absence, the fact that in Gauteng we will be expected to pay R6,2bn to collect approximately R20bn, a collection cost of 30% over five years, without any real transparency of the real costs involved is reason alone for grave concern.”

Savrala has also criticised Government for not engaging constructively and transparently with key stakeholders and the public at large. “The GFIP tolling debate created the perfect opportunity to discuss, as broad based social partners, various funding options to tackle the road infrastructure backlog in the context of developing a reliable, safe and cost effective public transport system.

“The Governments desperate bid to steamroll the GFIP urban toll process has demonstrated an ability to decree a ‘user-pay’ methodology for all, but conveniently when faced with threats of non-compliance from the taxi industry, decides to exempt ‘qualifying commuter taxis and buses’. Today’s announcement is notably thin on the rationale for the exclusion which in effect implies that potential toll users must, in addition to normal taxes and levies, now also subsidise public transport.

Meanwhile, the association remains hopeful that there is still an opportunity for broad based stakeholders to engage with Government to identify a more holistic, long-term strategy and a better funding model with national support.

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