Copyright © 1999 FleetWatch magazine and FleetWatch On-Line.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission from the publishers. Views published are not necessarily those of the publishers.

Establishing and introducing a viable and sustainable toll strategy is fraught with tension. After all it is the public’s money we are dealing with and while motorists and other road users have more or less accepted the need for toll roads the setting and collection of fees remains a contentious and emotional issue.

With this in mind the strategy used to set the initial toll fees is based on the optimisation of tolls for each class of vehicle, at each plaza, taking account of the perceived benefit of the tolled route compared to the alternative route. This is in line with generally accepted tolling practice already in existence along most toll routes in South Africa.

The ‘initial toll’ will become effective shortly after the start of the concession period for four classes of vehicles and will be escalated by a CPI related factor on March 1 each year. (The reset period will be adjusted in the event of the inflation rate reaching or being greater than 20%.)

While the existing plazas at Wilge, Mooi and Tugela (mainline and ramp) will remain operational from the start of the contract new plazas will come on stream from 2001; one situated at Tugela East and a ramp plaza situated on the Bergville ramp and a third plaza will begin tolling at De Hoek in 2002.