The Czech Republic plans to extend toll charge for trucks

Compared to last year’s revenues from road toll for trucks have dropped by almost 16 per cent in the first five months of this year. Now it has been settled: vehicles of more than 3,5t will be subject to road toll from 2010 on.

The negative trend prevailing, the Czech motorway management RDS will cash some one billion CZK less than in 2008. Roman Onderka, shadow minister for transport, rather traces this decline back to the ”poor condition of the traffic infrastructure” and much less to the economic crisis and wants to increase the toll rates. While up to now only trucks and busses of a total weight of more than 12t were subject to road toll, the Czech Parliament has now decided to extend the toll to all vehicles of a total weight of more than 3,5t. Furthermore the toll charged will not only depend on the number of axles but will, in future, also depend on the season and the time of the day (whether driving at day- or night-time). The exact toll rates will be fixed separately by the Czech Government at a later date.

At the same time the Czech representatives also passed a bill on introducing electronic vignettes. From 2011 on these electronic vignettes shall replace the former paper vignettes and shall be transferable.