E-toll prices: what some might pay

The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) published new E-toll tariffs for public comment in the government gazette dated Wednesday, 9 October 2013.

This comes after the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal against E-tolling by the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa).

Sanral classifies users into four categories, and vehicles into four classes. The types of users are:

• Registered e-tag user: has fitted an e-tag and registered an E-toll account;
• Non-registered e-tag user: has fitted an e-tag, but not registered an account;
• Registered VLN user: has registered an account, but not fitted an e-tag; and
• Alternate user: everyone else, including users whose accounts are not up-to-date (tolls must be paid within 7 days).

The table below summarises the toll prices at the gantries that have been erected for motorcycles (class A1) and light vehicles (class A2). Small heavy motor vehicles (class B1), and large heavy motor vehicles (class C) are not shown.

Non-registered e-tag users and registered VLN users pay the fee in the “standard tariff” columns:

According to Sanral, the per-gantry prices are calculated using the following per-kilometre rates:

• Class A1 (motorcycles): 35c/km standard, 18c/km e-Tagged;
• Class A2 (light vehicles): 58c/km standard, 30c/km e-Tagged;
• Class B (medium heavy): 145c/km standard, 75c/km e-Tagged; and
• Class C (large heavy): 290c/km standard, 150c/km e-Tagged.

Sanral has also proposed the following types of discounts:

• time-of-day discount;
• frequent user discount; and
• grace-period discounts for alternate users.

If “alternate users” pay their tolls within the 7-day “grace period” they may receive discounts under the following circumstances:

• If the user is registered with the Agency and has an e-tag but does not meet the criteria to be a registered e-tag user at the time of the e-toll transaction, they may qualify for the rates of registered e-Tag users.
• If the user is identified by VLN but does not meet the criteria to be a registered VLN user at the time of the e-toll transaction, they may qualify for the standard rate.

Sanral’s proposed time-of-day discounts are summarised in the below table:

Under the proposed regime of discounts for frequent users, Sanral has proposed to cap the monthly e-Toll accounts for registered e-Tag users at the following levels:

• Class A1 (motorcycles): R250;
• Class A2 (light vehicles): R450;
• Class B (medium heavy): R1,750; and
• Class C (large heavy): R3,500.

Light vehicle toll road users will also receive a 15% discount on tolls when their accounts are between R400 and R450. Once their accounts hit R450, the discount is effectively 100%.

These threshold values (and other E-toll prices) will be adjusted annually so as not to exceed the consumer price index for the previous 12 months, Sanral said.

Those interested may submit written comments on the draft notice to the Director-General of the Department of Transport within the next 29 days:

Mr T.H.M Mphahlele, [email protected], 012-309-3134 (fax).

Or by post: The Department of Transport, Private Bag X193, Pretoria, 0001.

More E-toll and transport-related tech news

Mass e-toll protests unlikely: Govt

Cape Town public transport now on Google Maps

E-toll fight continues: Outa

Truth behind Zuma’s e-toll signing: report

E-toll clock cannot be turned back: Supreme Court