Tolls for Mass Heavy-Freight Traffic will be From 4 to 7 Stotinki per Kilometer

Tolls for Mass Heavy-Freight Traffic will be From 4 to 7 Stotinki per Kilometer

14 November 2019

Tolls for mass heavy-freight traffic - weighing between 3.5 and 12 tonnes, will be from 4 to 7 stotinki (BGN 0.04-0.07) per kilometer, depending on the emission class of the vehicle. This is envisaged in the draft Tariff for the fees levied for the use of the National road network, published today for public consultation.

It is proposed that the initial range of the toll system should be 6050 km - motorways, first and partially second class roads. Thus, 14,000 km of the nearly 20,000 km long national road network will be free of charge for trucks over 3.5 tonnes. After the start of the toll system, these vehicles will not pay a vignette for the road network outside the scope of the toll roads.

The tariff introduces a fair model of charging for road vehicles, in line with the European principle – those who waste the road more, pay more. Tolls are related to the environmental category of the vehicle, as well as to the class of road for which tolls will be payable – motorways, first and partially second class. The value will be calculated per kilometer, and any entry into a toll segment will be considered to be for the complete length.

Trucks weighing between 3.5 and 12 tonnes will pay the same fee for the three categories of roa d, but it will depend on their emission class. Those with the highest eco-class Euro V, Euro VI or EEV will pay 4 st. per kilometer. For those with an Euro III or Euro IV emission class the tariff will be 5 st. per km, and for those with the lowest eco-category - the Euro 0, I or II class - 7 st. per km. "The aim is to encourage the modernization of the car fleet in order to protect the environment," explains Prof. Oleg Asenov, Member of the Management Board of Directors of the RIA.

For example, a truck weighing between 3.5 and 12 tonnes and an Euro V emission class would pay a toll of BGN 14.40 for the Sofia – Burgas route, BGN 16.11 for Sofia –  Varna, and for the route Varna – Bourgas – BGN 4,03. If it is of lower eco class – Euro IV, for Sofia – Burgas the toll would be BGN 17.89, for Sofia – Varna – BGN 20.09, and for Varna – Burgas – BGN 5.05.

Heavy-freight vehicles weighing more than 12 tons and with two or three axles will pay, depending on their emission class, between 11 and 22 st. per km for motorways, and between 10 and 21 st. per km – for first and second class roads.

 Trucks weighing more than 12 tonnes, with four or more axles, will pay, depending on their emission class, between 18 and 36 st. per km for the motorway, and between 17 and 35 st. per km - for the first class of roads, and between 16 and 34 st. per km – for the second class of roads. A truck over 12 tonnes with four or more axles and an eco class Euro V should pay BGN 71,72 for the Sofia – Burgas road, 77,66 BGN for Sofia – Varna, and for Varna –  Burgas – BGN 19,27.With a lower environmental class – Euro IV, the example route Sofia – Burgas would cost BGN 89.65, Sofia – Varna – BGN 97.73, and Varna – Burgas – BGN 24.32.

The fee for buses over 12 tonnes will be from 5 to 9 st. per km for the motorway, from 4 to 8 st. per km for the first class of roads and from 3 to 6 st. per km for the second class roads. Buses weighing up to 12 tonnes will pay 1 st. les per kilometer, respectively – from 4 st. to 8 st. for motorways, from 3 st. to 7 st. for first class roads and from 2 st. to 5 st. for second class roads.

The tariff also determines the compensatory fee that is payable if the truck uses the toll road without payment of toll. For trucks between 3.5 and 12 tonnes it is BGN 150, for trucks over 12 tonnes with two to three axles – BGN 450, for heavy-freight vehicles over 12 tonnes with four or more axles – BGN 750, for buses – BGN 150. The compensatory fee is paid in order to avoid administrative penalties. It is not a penalty, but a higher toll, which provides free movement on the paid network until 23:59 on the day it is imposed.

If the driver refuses to pay the compensatory fee on the spot to continue his journey, he must pay a maximum toll. For trucks between 3.5 and 12 tonnes, the so-called maximum toll is from BGN 27 to 48, depending on the emission class, for trucks over 12 tonnes with 2 – 3 axles – between BGN 71 and 146, for trucks weighing over 12 tonnes, with 4 and more axles – from BGN 119 to 242, and for buses – from BGN 24 to 49. The payment of a maximum toll does not exempt offenders from payment within 14 days of a compensatory fee by bank transfer. Thus, the total amount due, for example, to an offender who refused to pay on the spot the compensatory fee – a driver of a truck weighing more than 12 tonnes with more than 4 axles and an eco-category Euro IV is BGN 917.

If the compensatory fee is not paid within 14 days, the Road Traffic Act provides fines for the offenders. In the absence of declared data to determine the distance travelled, the penalty for the driver is BGN 1800 per day, and for incorrectly declared data, for example, an attempt to cheat with the emission class, category or number of bearing axles of the vehicle, the fine for the owner is BGN 2500 per day.

The amount of tolls is determined on the basis of a comparison of several scenarios proposed by the project consultant for building and implementing of the toll system – the World Bank. The difference between the highest and lowest emission class motorway tolls shall be 100% for trucks weighing more than 12 tonnes, as permitted by the European Directive. One of the objectives of tariffs is to promote the use of eco-friendly vehicles, which will contribute to reducing harmful emissions from road transport and, accordingly, to protecting the environment, thus complying with the EU's common transport policy.

The amount of fees collected from cars – electronic vignettes is maintained (BGN 10 –  weekend vignette, BGN 15 – weekly vignette, BGN 30 – monthly vignette, BGN 54 –  three month vignette and BGN 97 – annual vignette). The value of the fees for the use of the bridge over Danube river in the direction of Ruse – Giurgiu remains unchanged, as well as those for special use of national roads – for oversized vehicles, advertising facilities and commercial roadside objects.

The deadline for the submission of proposals for the draft tariff is 16 December 2019.

The full text can be found HERE.