Proposal to collect tolls on 6 state-invested highways

Vietnam Road Administration proposed to collect road tolls on 6 expressways invested by the State that have been completed and put into operation.

Tolls only collected on eligible expressways

The Vietnam Road Administration has just reported to the Ministry of Transport on the research and development of a project to exploit the infrastructure assets of expressways owned by the entire people, with the State representing the owner and directly managing and exploiting them.

According to the Vietnam Road Administration, there are currently 12 expressways invested by the State, including: Lao Cai - Kim Thanh, Hanoi - Thai Nguyen, Cao Bo - Mai Son, Mai Son - National Highway 45, National Highway 45 - Nghi Son, Nghi Son - Dien Chau, Cam Lo - La Son, Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet, Phan Thiet - Dau Giay, Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong, My Thuan - Can Tho (including My Thuan 2 Bridge), La Son - Tuy Loan.

Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet Expressway is over 100 km long, passing through Binh Thuan province, and will be put into operation and exploit the main route from May 19, 2023.

Of the 12 expressways above, the Vietnam Road Administration proposed not to include them in the project because they do not meet the conditions for toll collection for 6 routes: 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.

Of which, Hanoi - Thai Nguyen expressway is being operated according to 4-lane expressway standards, the rest are being operated according to limited expressway standards and have not yet invested in toll station infrastructure and intelligent transportation systems (ITS).

Lao Cai - Kim Thanh Expressway is over 18 km long, has not yet invested in toll station infrastructure and ITS system, due to the short length of the route, it is proposed not to collect tolls for now.

The Cao Bo - Mai Son Expressway has been approved for investment in a project to expand from 4 lanes, emergency lanes have not been arranged continuously on the route to 6 lanes. It is expected to be basically completed in 2027.

The Cam Lo - La Son and La Son - Tuy Loan Expressways (La Son - Hoa Lien section) have been approved for investment in the expansion project from 2 lanes to 4 lanes. It is expected to be basically completed in 2025.

The Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway is currently implementing the investment, upgrading and expansion policy under the PPP form. Construction is expected to start in 2025 and be completed in 2028.

"Toll collection on the above expressways will be implemented after completing the investment in upgrading and expanding, meeting the regulations in Decree No. 130/2024 of the Government," said the Vietnam Road Administration.

For the remaining 6 expressways including: Mai Son - National Highway 45, National Highway 45 - Nghi Son, Nghi Son - Dien Chau, Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet, Phan Thiet - Dau Giay, My Thuan - Can Tho (including My Thuan 2 Bridge), the Vietnam Road Administration proposed a list of expressways to include in the project to implement toll collection.

The reason proposed by the Department of Roads is that the above expressways have met the conditions prescribed in the Road Law 2024, Decree No. 130/2024 and the implementation of construction and installation of toll station infrastructure, equipment for toll collection; public service works at rest stops; technical infrastructure, technological equipment for traffic management and operation also meet the requirements.

The state collects fees.

Based on research, analysis, and evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods, the Vietnam Road Administration proposes to initially exploit highway infrastructure assets in the following manner: The agency assigned to manage road infrastructure assets directly organizes the exploitation.

This method meets the progress of implementing toll collection for highways invested, owned, managed and operated by the State; is suitable for the current situation of construction and installation of toll station infrastructure, equipment for toll collection; public service works at rest stops; technical infrastructure, technological equipment for traffic management and operation.

Accordingly, the Vietnam Road Administration is the agency assigned to manage assets and will directly organize the management, maintenance and repair of expressway sections invested in, owned, managed and exploited by the State in accordance with the law.

The Vietnam Road Administration is the agency that organizes the collection of highway tolls through toll stations, applying the model of “free multi-lane ETC input (no barrier), single-lane ETC output (with barrier), no MTC lane”; installing additional equipment and gantry brackets on the main route at the location connecting projects to separate the route sections, ensuring the plan for organizing inter-route toll collection through the selection and bidding of toll collection service providers according to the provisions of law on bidding and other legal documents.

As the revenue management agency, the Vietnam Road Administration and the regional road management areas will manage the collection, payment and use of highway tolls; declare and pay collected highway tolls monthly, and make annual settlements according to tax management regulations; inspect the activities and revenues from providing toll collection services of the collection operators and road payment service providers to ensure correct, full and timely collection of highway tolls into the toll account awaiting payment to the budget of the revenue management unit...

"During the process of evaluating policy implementation or after the end of an equipment exploitation cycle (about 5-8 years), the Vietnam Road Administration will study and propose other exploitation methods (if appropriate)," said the Vietnam Road Administration.

The Road Law was passed by the National Assembly on June 27, 2024, effective from January 1, 2025, stipulating: "The State collects highway usage fees for vehicles traveling on highways owned by the entire people, which the State represents as the owner and directly manages and operates, including: highways invested by the State in the form of public investment; highways invested in other forms when the contract ends, are transferred to the State".

To specify the above regulations, the Government issued Decree No. 130/2024 regulating the collection of highway usage fees for vehicles traveling on expressways owned by the entire people, represented by the State as the owner and directly managed and exploited.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/de-xuat-thu-phi-6-tuyen-cao-toc-do-nha-nuoc-dau-tu-192250119104144095.htm