Three more e-toll gantries go live

Motorists have been charged for using sections of the N12 since March 26.

Moneyweb is on the mailing list of the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral), but hasn’t received any press release to inform road users about the activation.

In an email sent at 22h02 on March 25 and repeated on March 27, Sanral informs its account holders as follows: “Please be advised that e-toll Gantries 34 (Ilanda), 35 (Bee-eater) & 47 (Ugaga) on the N12, will be activated from 26 March 2014.

It is important to note that your e-toll transactions through these Gantries will be invoiced from the activation date. The relevant toll tariffs as per Government Gazette No.:37038, which were released on 19 November 2013, will be applicable.”

The gantries are close to the Rondebult and Kingsway off ramps on the N12 travelling eastward and the Atlas off-ramp travelling to the west.

Registered e-tag users will be charged R1.46 every time they pass under the Ilanda and Bee-eater gantries and R1.66 if they pass under the Ugaga gantry. The standard tariffs for road users without e-tags are R2.82 at Ilanda and Bee-eater and R3.20 at Ugaga. These tariffs have been published with those for the rest of the system in November last year.

Vusi Mona, spokesperson of Sanral could not shed any light on the activation and asked Moneyweb to send an email. We will update this article when a response is received.

Wayne Duvenhage, chairperson of the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) said the activation of these gantries was delayed because the road works were not completed. He said the lack of proper prior notice to all road users is typical of the way Sanral does things. “They don’t see us as customers, they see us as source of revenue,” he said.

Sanral responded on Friday afternoon, saying the upgrades of the sections of the N12 that are now being tolled have only recently been completed.

Regarding the background to these gantries being activated now, it said: “These sections of road and their toll tariffs were in fact included in the toll tariff Gazette of 19 November 2013, and therefore formed part of the communication sent to account holders at the time. The information has also been available on the e-toll website and distributed through the media when communicating with regard to toll tariffs.

“The courtesy notification to account holders commenced as early as 24 March 2014, with certain account holders reporting receipt of the notification. However it appears that some account holders experienced a time delay in receipt of their communication. The e-toll Operator (ETC) is currently investigating the cause.”

Asked how it informs motorists who are not registered users of the activation, it said road signs indicate that it is a tolled road. “The method of payment and the toll tariff notice boards near the gantries are in place, as per the legal requirement.”

Source: Moneyweb

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