Adjusted toll tariffs, the facts – Sanral
Reports that users of toll roads were not properly notified about toll tariffs adjustments are unfortunately misleading.
This is according to the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral).
“Toll tariffs on national roads were adjusted in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on March 3,” said Vusi Mona, the agency’s spokesperson.
“The Minister of Transport approved the tariffs and the adjustments were gazetted and published on February 16 and time was allowed for comments from the public and interested parties.
“It is one thing to say there was no communication but quite another to call for the use of more communication platforms, something we will explore in the future.”
He said the tariffs include monthly caps for registered users of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP).
“There is a R250 per month cap for vehicles of Sanral account holders. This has not changed and remains applicable irrespective of the number of gantry passes or the distance travelled on Gauteng e-toll roads.”
Sanral last Thursday announced an annual 6.04 per cent increase in toll tariffs across the 3 120km national toll road network, effective from March 3.
Mona said the Automobile Association’s views on the matter fail to present the full picture to the public.
“The AA omits to mention the crucial fact that registered users in Gauteng will still benefit from the monthly cap.
“The AA’s own calculations best demonstrate the value that being registered or having a tag brings to motorists. It claims that unregistered vehicles will incur a monthly bill of more than R775 for return trips between Soweto and Pretoria.
“If this is correct, it proves the fact that having an e-tag or being registered can bring down your monthly trip costs by more than 66 per cent.
“Regular users can even pay less than the R250 monthly cap if they travel outside peak traffic hours of 6am to 8.30am and 4pm to 7pm on weekdays. Time of day discounts of up to 57.9 per cent applies.”
He said the 6.04 per cent increase in general toll tariffs is to keep track with inflation and does not represent a real increase.
“The income is used to continue maintaining the national toll road network in top condition, contrary to the suggestion that ‘paid-up toll roads’ should attract no toll fees. Were that to happen, the road infrastructure in question will fall apart as maintenance lags behind.”
| Vehicle class | Monthly cap |
| Class A1 | R139.00 |
| Class A2 | R250.00 |
| Class B | R971.00 |
| Class C | R3 219.00 |
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