The National Highway Company (NDS) is dissatisfied with lower revenues from Slovakia’s year-old e-toll collection because they have failed to meet initial plans. The first-year operation of the e-toll system was significantly affected by one-off factors such as temporary exemption of first-category roads from toll payment for a period of 1.5 months, and legislative changes. These events should not reoccur in the coming period and so the NDS expects no further shortfall in revenues. The gap between the actual collection and the plans represents about 9 percent.
NDS spokesman Marcel Janošík told the SITA newswire that the NDS has been continually optimising e-toll collection and its settings and will continue doing so in order to increase revenues that will be used for construction and repair works on roads. The NDS plans to implement these steps so as to minimise their impact on toll payments. Among others, the company is considering the introduction of time-varied toll rates.
The e-toll system operator, SkyToll, provides services based on a contract for the provision of comprehensive e-toll collection system services and applicable laws. No serious flaws in the system or conflicts with the contract have been detected up to now. Talks about the difference between the actual collection efficiency and the commitment of SkyToll, and about the operator’s remarks are underway, the spokesperson added. The negotiations may result in a request for a discount based on the contract. Over 11 months of last year, SkyToll collected nearly €130.4 million.
SkyToll evaluated the first year of electronic toll collection in Slovakia as having been successful in spite of collection below the initial plans and user complaints, particularly by small and medium-sized transport operators clustered in the Union of Slovak Motor Carriers (UNAS). SkyToll has never published an estimate for the amount of toll collection. The figures result from an analysis that was carried out before the tender for the system was announced.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
