How are tolls expected to be collected on the 5 state-invested expressways?

According to the Department of Roads, there are currently 12 expressways that are owned by the State and directly managed and operated by the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction). Based on the provisions of Decree 130/2024 and the progress of installation of toll station infrastructure, toll collection equipment, rest stops and technical infrastructure, technological equipment for traffic management and operation, the Department of Roads of Vietnam proposes to implement toll collection on 5 expressways: Mai Son - National Highway 45, National Highway 45 - Nghi Son, Nghi Son - Dien Chau, Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet - Dau Giay.

Regarding toll rates, the four expressways Mai Son - QL45, QL45 - Nghi Son, Nghi Son - Dien Chau, Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet were decided on investment policies before the effective date of the Road Law, when put into operation but do not fully meet the requirements specified in the Road Law (expressways with 4 lanes, with intermittent emergency lanes) will have a toll rate of 900 VND/km. The Phan Thiet - Dau Giay expressway fully meets the regulations on conditions for toll collection (expressways with 4 lanes, with continuous emergency lanes) will have a toll rate of 1,300 VND/km. It is expected that when implementing toll collection on the above 5 expressways, after deducting the collection organization costs, each year the budget will pay about 1,700 billion VND.

Nghi Son - Dien Chau section is one of 5 expressways that have just been proposed to have a toll rate of 900 VND/km.

Regarding the 7 expressways that are not yet eligible for toll collection, including Hanoi - Thai Nguyen, Lao Cai - Kim Thanh, Cao Bo - Mai Son, Cam Lo - La Son, La Son - Tuy Loan, Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong, the Vietnam Road Administration said that it will study to continue to develop an exploitation project in the next phase. Regarding the toll collection period, citing the provisions in Circular No. 23/2023 of the Ministry of Finance, the Vietnam Road Administration said that the depreciation period for machinery and equipment serving general operations and office machinery and equipment is from 5 to 8 years.

From the above regulations, the Vietnam Road Administration proposes that the asset exploitation period is 7 years. During the process of evaluating the implementation of the policy or after the end of a cycle of equipment exploitation, other exploitation methods will be studied and proposed (if appropriate).

Regarding the exploitation method, the Vietnam Road Administration proposed that the asset management agency, the Vietnam Road Administration, directly organize the exploitation of road infrastructure assets. Explaining this proposal, the Vietnam Road Administration said that according to the provisions of the Law on Management and Use of Public Assets, there are 4 exploitation methods applicable to infrastructure assets: The asset management agency directly organizes the exploitation of road infrastructure assets; transfers the right to collect fees; leases the right to exploit assets; transfers the right to exploit assets for a limited period. Analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the above forms, the Vietnam Road Administration said that according to the 2024 Road Law, expressways invested with the budget and represented by the State as the owner are toll assets.

Therefore, the method of leasing the right to exploit road infrastructure assets is not suitable because leasing the right to exploit road assets does not apply to road infrastructure assets that are subject to road use fees according to the provisions of law. Similarly, the method of transferring the right to exploit road infrastructure assets for a limited period is also not suitable because the transfer of the right to exploit road infrastructure assets for a limited period is associated with investment in upgrading and expanding roads according to projects approved by competent agencies and individuals.

Based on the assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of each method and to meet the progress of implementing toll collection for the use of expressways invested by the State, the Vietnam Road Administration proposes to exploit expressway assets in the form of the agency assigned to manage infrastructure assets directly organizing the exploitation. Accordingly, the Vietnam Road Administration is the agency assigned to manage assets and directly organize the management, maintenance and repair of expressway sections invested, owned, managed and exploited by the State according to the provisions of law. Expressway toll collection will apply the non-stop electronic form.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Giao-thong/5-tuyen-cao-toc-do-nha-nuoc-dau-tu-du-kien-thu-phi-the-nao--i765280/