Highway tolls will ensure people's ability to pay

La Son-Tuy Loan Expressway has a total investment of 11,485 billion VND.

Revenue from expressways invested by the State will be paid into the budget to serve infrastructure investment and other central spending tasks. After deducting toll collection costs, operating costs will be paid back to the budget, balancing with the central budget target.

This information was shared by Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy at the regular Government press conference on the afternoon of August 5 in Hanoi.

In the world, investment in infrastructure requires mobilizing many methods, including the method of the State investing in building highways and then collecting tolls to recover capital.

"The expressways under investment will also follow this policy. To determine the toll level, we will determine the impact, benefits and assess the affordability of each project. On that basis, the toll level will be scientifically developed and consulted with relevant agencies," said Deputy Minister Nguyen Danh Huy.

According to preliminary calculations, by 2030, the whole country will need 813,000 billion VND to invest in expressways, of which 393,000 billion VND will be needed by 2025 to complete 2,000 km and start construction on 925 km. In the next 10 years, the budget needs to invest 239,000 billion VND to build new expressways, an average of 24,000 billion VND/year.

In addition, when deciding on investment policies for highway projects, all of which are important national projects, the National Assembly assigned the Government to study solutions to complete investment, collect tolls, and recover capital.

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy answers the press about collecting tolls on highways invested with the state budget.

"Implementing the National Assembly's resolution, we have developed a project. In the draft Law on Road Traffic, we have included the content of the State investing in new expressways. Along with toll roads, there will be national highways. People have the right to choose to go on expressways or national highways," said Mr. Huy.

The Deputy Minister affirmed that the Ministry of Transport has calculated the benefits when vehicles travel faster and save more fuel on the highway. Based on fuel costs, operating costs, exploitation, and benefits, the Ministry will calculate the toll level to ensure people's ability to pay.

According to Vietnam+