Drivers to Pay Toll on Durres-Kukes Highway Starting December

TIRANA, September 26

Drivers will start to pay a road toll for Durres-Kukes highway starting in December. Even though the highway is still incomplete, the consortium that won the concessionary contract on the road maintenance has started the work for the construction of toll plazas. Representatives from the consortium confirmed for BIRN. On the other hand, the inhabitants of Kukes, northern Albania, and local power representatives fear that the toll road will further isolate their town, which according to them is one of the poorest in the country. The highway construction started about a decade ago and its cost was about Euro 1 billion. It was open for commuters since 2009 even though it’s still incomplete. BIRN says that all drivers will start to pay the toll while other Albanian citizens will pay the tax on the road no matter if they use it or not.
Speed limits on the highway were halved due to the fact that there are incomplete four-lane segments and two-lane bridges and unsafe exits. So far 30 people died in car accidents along this highway.
A representative of the concessionary company told the BIRN that according to the project there will be five lanes on both sides of the toll plaza, which will be electronic.
Based on public data from the concessionary contract, each vehicle that will commute on the road are going to pay about Euro 5, VAT included. Meanwhile, the consortium will receive Euro 5 million per year starting from the third year, until the 15th year, as a subsidy.
Chair of Business for Business association Sokol Kolgjini asked from BIRN said that the highway was built with public funds, therefore there’s no reason for additional vehicle tax. He added that vehicle taxes include the circulation tax which is dedicated to road maintenance.

News Source: reporter.al

Photo Credit: Wikimedia