Electronic system of the road charges

The reason for which the governments make decisions on implementation of the national electronic systems of collection of a fare is simple – such systems are a permanent financing source and provide fund raising, infrastructure projects, necessary for implementation, in the road industry. Russia is not an exception, collection of a fare becomes more and more widespread, and gradually at participants of traffic understanding forms that it is the only realistic way of increase in traffic safety and improvement of quality of a road network. In recent years in only one Europe the similar systems were started in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, the Czech republic and in Slovakia, implementation of similar projects continues in Sweden, France, Poland, Hungary and in Slovenia. With introduction of the electronic systems of collection of a fare due to ensuring free journey of transport traffic safety improves, and thanks to introduction of the differentiated charges depending on the level of emissions of harmful substances the negative ecological effect decreases.

By the way, the inevitable delays caused by payment collecting until in 1959 the Nobel Prize laureate on economy William Vikrey, working on improvement of a road network in the neighborhood of Washington, suggested to collect payment for journey using an electronic system were one of the main problems connected with introduction of paid roads. Today the electronic systems of collection of a fare are successfully operated in many countries of Europe, Asia, America and in Australia. In certain cases the payment is levied only for driving through specific sites of a road network, and in a number of the countries, for example, in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia or in Poland, – on all transit trunks. The technological solution can differ, but motivation at the governments always one – they need to raise funds for maintenance of road infrastructure as in connection with increase in number of cars it is necessary to increase financing by construction new and the maintenance of already available roads.

The national electronic system of collection of a fare has two main differences from the traditional systems. First, it allows to cover considerably bigger number of highways, than any single road project, thus considerably expanding opportunities for fund raising, and is not limited to financing of the specific project. Secondly, this system is controlled the certified operator who on a competitive basis, for a fee provides for the industry of freight transportation of service in tracking and also communication and accounting services.

The difficulties arising when driving through the paid road are familiar to all of us, – it is necessary to stop on a rallying point, to transfer money, at last, to wait for opening of a barrier, besides on entrance for certain it is necessary to stand in a queue – therefore only to pay for journey, a lot of time is wasted. For comparison, the new national system of collection of a payment which the government intends to implement in Russia allows to collect payment, without obstructing traffic. The payment will be levied completely in the automatic mode, a system itself will process data. Participants of traffic should not stop, reduce speed or to change lanes. Moreover, this system allows to process data of all vehicles driving on the paid road at once. Obvious advantages are that the movement does not stop that allows to avoid traffic jams, to reduce transit time, to reduce negative ecological effect and to reduce the cost of collection of a payment. However, as now the government considers the possibility of construction of paid highways on the terms of public-private partnerships, it is required to define at the legislative level the mechanism of use of these private highways within the national system of collection of payment. The model of public-private partnership is a new experience for Russia, but is already successfully used around the world. For the last five years and Vladimir Putin, being the president, and Dmitry Medvedev publicly focused attention on importance and need of construction of paid roads according to concessionary agreements.

Immense Russian open spaces and extreme weather conditions are the pacing factors causing the shortage in Russia of qualitative roads. Despite all taken measures the Government of the Russian Federation faces serious problems at the organization of traffic for internal passenger and freight transportation. It is obvious that the status of the Russian transport infrastructure interferes with fast development of both certain territories, and the whole country.

Thus, in the state activities for fund raising for construction of roads close attention should be paid to a possibility of implementation of an electronic system of collecting of payment. Such system will allow to solve problems with search of funds for the maintenance of the existing highways and at the same time to provide the potential for the local companies in the industry of telecommunications, management consulting, design and construction of highways, for production of the road equipment and also for the industry of the construction materials necessary for creation of roads.

By development of systems of payment of journey it is necessary to consider a set of different legal, social and political aspects. We can develop the system of collection of a fare regardless of the used technologies. Project deadlines in many respects depend on its scale and type. For example, for implementation of a national system of collection of the fare covering all network of highways can be required approximately from twelve to fifteen months. It is possible to give several examples: on implementation of an electronic system of collection of a fare in the Czech republic and in Poland about nine months while in Austria on implementation of a national system of collection of a fare of cargo transport about fifteen months were required were required. Certainly, the compulsory provision for successful implementation of an electronic system of collection of a fare is good preparation of the tender and existence of accurately certain requirements to the required solution.

More than in 28 countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and in Australia the systems of collection of a payment based on microwave technology are successfully used. This technology tested and checked around the world guarantees creation of the friendly and simple system in use convenient for any users. In some countries the payment is collected for driving only through specific sites of a road network, in some countries there are whole transit networks as, for example, in Germany, Austria, the Czech republic, Slovakia and in Poland. These systems can differ in terms of technologies, however the motivation at the governments always same – to raise funds for development of road infrastructure as in connection with increase in number of cars additional financing is necessary for construction of new trunks and for the maintenance of already available roads. Despite economic downturn the intensity of traffic around the world continues to increase. By estimates of the European Union, in construction of roads till 2020 it is necessary to invest about 600 million euros. The governments use automatic systems of collection of a payment for decrease in intensity of traffic and for fund raising for further financing of the road industry.

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