Distance-based E-tolling System: More Socially Fair and Proportional Charge
During 2020 the total amount of e-vignettes sold made up 49.43 million EUR (in 2019, 48.69 million EUR). The collected funds are allocated for road maintenance and development; however, only part of the income are allocated for the maintenance and development of toll main roads.
In 2023, when the new distance-based e-tolling system is introduced, the generated funds (for the use of toll main roads) will be used for upgrading the infrastructure of these roads only. It is estimated that the implemented e-tolling system will generate up to 110 million EUR for the maintenance and development of the main roads.
“Traffic volumes on the main roads are the highest; therefore, all road users will benefit from the new system. It will also enable to allocate more funds for upgrading the infrastructure of the main roads and for traffic safety improvement”, says SE Lithuanian Road Administration Director Remigijus Lipkevičius.
The principle ‘user pays’ an ‘polluter pays’ will be applied when the distance-based road charging system is introduced. It will ensure social justice for road infrastructure users who are currently paying unreasonably high charge for a short distance covered.
Currently, road charges paid in Lithuania partly discriminate some road users since the longer the covered distance, the smaller 1 km charge is. The implemented e-tolling system will enable to ensure socially fair share of costs for the development and maintenance of the road infrastructure.
It is important that e-tolling project contributes to reducing pollution. It will encourage vehicle holders and users to avoid ’empty’ mileage, to consolidate shipment, to optimize routes, to use environmentally-friendly vehicles, which will reduce air and noise pollution.
A list of vehicles to be charged for the use of main roads remains the same: buses (categories M2–M3), heavy goods vehicles (categories N1–N3) and their combinations and special-purpose road vehicles.
Currently, heavy goods vehicles carrying valid e-vignettes may use toll main roads. E-vignettes may be purchased in advance without any administration fee at www.keliumokestis.lt as well as at various selling points and via mobile applications.
It should be pointed out that when the Road Administration took over the administration of e-vignettes in 2019, ca 3.8 million EUR have been saved each year. The Road Administration being a sole service provider reduced the costs by 14 times in 2019 compared to 2018.