German toll extended to lighter lorries

In 2016 the German government plans to extend the toll on lorries from 7.5 tons and also introduce more road tolls, however price per kilometre will be lowered. This was announced by minister for transport Alexander Dobrindt last Tuesday, report press bureau DPA. The government lowered the tariffs after committee advisement but extended it in order to keep income level. The extension to lighter lorries will save this cabinet session two hundred million Euro and the toll on extra roads a further half million. Nevertheless Dobrindt expects that by 2017 the German treasury will earn 2 million fewer Euro through the lowering of tariffs.

Since 2005, container lorries weighing 12 ton or more have had to pay tolls on the motorways and from 2012 a further 1100 kilometres of federal highway was included. Up until 2015 in further 1000 kilometres are expected to be added. Right now, 4.5 billion is raised from the toll on container lorries.

In principle, the proceeds from these tolls are designed to support the costs of maintaining these roads. Dobrindt, along with finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble agreed that during this cabinet period, five billion will be spent on road maintenance. According to the minister, in the future, should revenue from tolls no longer cover these costs, then they will be paid from general funds.

Source: Nieuws.nl