Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) on Monday said it supported the user-pays principle proposed for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP), provided that there was at least one alternative to tolling available that met a basic minimum level of service at no cost to users.

The industry body stated that South Africa could not afford the luxury of separate systems for urban and national travellers and that the mixed use of national roadways was, therefore, a sensible approach. However, the complication came when the national freeway system passed through urban centres and joined with local urban traffic.

Cesa argued that national freeways came with a higher level of service and that urban users, therefore, had to pay the required charges if they wished to make use of the infrastructure.

The Road Freight Association has also expressed support for e-tolling on the GFIP; however, this was based on the current cost and the introduction of an independent regulator.

Spokesperson Gavin Kelly recently said the association might choose not to support any future e-toll expansion. “We still maintain that the administration cost in respect of collection and our internal administration could have been avoided if fuel levies were utilised and earmarked to fund the upgrades of freeways. However, with escalating fuel prices, the current discounted e-toll tariff structure will have a lesser cost impact on operators and ultimately the least cost impact on the consumer price index and the man in the street,” he said.

The Department of Transport gazetted the draft toll tariffs and regulations for the e-tolling system on October 26, kicking off a 30-day period for public comment, which would conclude in a judicial review on November 26.

Light vehicles fitted with e-tags would pay a discounted rate of 30c/km and motorcycles that had the devices installed would pay 18c/km. However, motorists would pay double that rate if they did not register. The base tariff for light vehicles remained 58c/km against an initial base rate of 66c/km.

Nonarticulated trucks fitted with an e-tag would pay 75c/km and articulated trucks R1.50/km.

In addition to discounts awarded to those who install e-tags in their vehicles, time-of-day discounts would also be implemented.