Comments on: Driving Blind – Fuel Levy vs Tolls https://twentythirdfloor.co.za/2011/07/12/driving-blind-fuel-levy-v-tolls/ Perspectives Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:07:47 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 By: Red https://twentythirdfloor.co.za/2011/07/12/driving-blind-fuel-levy-v-tolls/comment-page-1/#comment-17106 Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:07:47 +0000 http://twentythirdfloor.co.za/?p=1246#comment-17106 Another big disadvantage of fuel levy is that fuel consumption on urban roads is higher than fuel consumption on freeways. In other words, on a per kilometre basis, people who don’t use the freeway will be subsidising those who do.

]]> By: David Kirk https://twentythirdfloor.co.za/2011/07/12/driving-blind-fuel-levy-v-tolls/comment-page-1/#comment-16965 Mon, 05 Sep 2011 19:46:33 +0000 http://twentythirdfloor.co.za/?p=1246#comment-16965 In reply to Shaun.

Thanks Shaun. The thing is, we already have a fuel levy and vehicle licence fee, so the mechanisms to charge other than tolls already exist. The advantages and disadvantages of tolls remain of course. I’m not close enough to the detail to know whether money is being well spent or wasted, but some of the reports of the costs of the system to enforce the tolls do seem pretty high.

]]> By: Shaun https://twentythirdfloor.co.za/2011/07/12/driving-blind-fuel-levy-v-tolls/comment-page-1/#comment-16961 Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:48:46 +0000 http://twentythirdfloor.co.za/?p=1246#comment-16961 I seem to think that we have all lost the plot in respect of Roads, what improvements have been made to road infrastructure across South Africa since 1994? In general absolutely none, unless of course we take into account the numerous highways that were simply privatised and turned into Toll Roads. To travel from Malelane to Pretoria will cost in the region of R 150.oo on a road that was built and paid for with tax payers money. In Guateng there have too been minimal upgrading of roads over the past 15 years – WHERE HAS ALL THIS MONEY GONE. If we are not seriously not generating enough funds for the maintenance and development of our road network why not introduce the same system as what is found in Austria and Switzerland but for a few exceptions all national roads are covered with a once off annual fee in the form of a “Vignette” which is stuck onto the windscreen of the Vehicle. The cost of this varies dependant on Vehicle size and weight. This “Sticker” needs only to be bought if the vehicle in question will use any of the National Road network. Vehicle caught using the National road network are given spot fines that by far exceed the purchase price of the road tax “Sticker”.

This system insures that the roads are paid for by all those who use them, even our neighbours in Swaziland have learned this and charge all foreign vehicles entering a Road Tax.

If I am not mistaken there are app. 15 000 000 vehicles registered in South Africa of which 1/3 are transport vehicles.

If a annual Road tax of R 500.00 was charged for passenger Vehicle and R 2 000,oo charged for all commercial vehicles this would give the country an additional15 Billion for roads.

This way each person is burdened for their own roads and no one should have to pay any tolls.

Thanks

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