On Wednesday, the 4th of December, the Saeima adopted in its final reading amendments to the Law on Road User Tolls, which provides for increasing most of the toll rates from the 1st of January 2025.
When deciding on the draft law, the debate was triggered by a proposal by Saeima deputy Viktorija Pleškane (Latvia in First Place), which provided for the exclusion of the toll rates offered by the Ministry of Transport. According to her, roads need to be repaired and funds are needed for this, but one should not “so brutally” interfere in the national economy. “You will make the road to Latgale, but who will go there?” said the Saeima deputy.
She argued that tax increases are likely to affect “ordinary people” and small businesses, especially in rural areas.
Transport Minister Kaspars Briškens agreed that the road budget in the transport sector is insufficient. In Latvia, the road budget is EUR 285 million, and this is twice less than in Lithuania, where the length of roads is similar. In Lithuania, the road budget is over EUR 600 million, the minister noted.
The toll is intended to secure an additional EUR 25 million to divert towards road infrastructure improvement in Latgale and reinforcement of border infrastructure.
The minister also said that this new toll will motivate people to invest into greener vehicles, because discounts are planned for them.
Janis Vitenbergs, former Minister of Transport, member of the National Alliance, expressed the understanding that it was planned to carry out road improvement works from the funds of the toll, but, in his opinion, this “gives something with one hand, and takes with the other”.
According to Saeima deputy Janas Simanovska, a balanced solution has been found to help find financing for roads and promote environmentally friendly types of transport.
Edgars Putra, member of the “Combined List” political party, urged not to be hypocritical and admit that this is a serious tax increase. If the price of fuel in Latvia was competitive, there would be no need to raise the toll, the politician said.
The law states that a relatively larger increase in rates is for higher-emission vehicles and vignettes for a shorter period of time, while the annual rate for the most environmentally friendly trucks is planned to be lower than at present.
The aim of the amendments is to call for more use of cars with more environmentally friendly engines, as well as for the purchase of vignettes for the whole year.
There is also a new rate period of nine months aimed at reducing the administrative burden at the time of harvest. The amendments also provide for a new delegation to the State Border Guard to carry out the control of the fee at the state border.
The Ministry of Transport notes that with the increase in the cost of road construction and repair, the revenue from toll payments can no longer compensate for the cost of repairing damage to the country’s main roads caused by freight vehicles. Similarly, toll rates in Latvia are currently the lowest among the Baltic States. Thus, these changes will harmonize not only the toll system in the Baltic States, but also help to finance road infrastructure.
Currently, vehicles and vehicle combinations with a gross vehicle weight from 3.501 tons to 12 tons, if the vehicle’s engine emission level is “Euro 0, I, II” toll daily rate is nine euros and the weekly rate is EUR 22. In turn, from next year’s day, the rate for these vehicles is planned to be EUR 15, and the weekly rate is EUR 37.
Simultaneously, vehicles and their combinations with a full weight from 3.501 tons to 12 tons, if the vehicle’s engine emission level is “Euro VI and less polluting”, currently the daily rate is eight euros, but the weekly rate is EUR 20, but from next year it is planned that the daily rate will be seven euros, and the weekly rate is EUR 18.
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Publish date : 2024-12-04 04:45:00
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