How to stop e-tolling in Gauteng
Opposition To Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) has released a 15,000 word report, explaining in detail how flawed the controversial Gauteng e-tolling system is, along with a 4-step guide on how Sanral can dissolve the system.
In its report, Outa extensively outlined the problems facing e-tolls in Gauteng, including referenced points on why the system is geared for failure, international case studies where similar systems had failed and 8 factors which need to be met for the system to operate successfully.
The report repeats statistics often used by Outa in its fight against e-tolls, including Sanral’s need for 93% compliance to the system, as well as Outa’s own findings that as much as 70% of Gauteng road users have not subscribed to the e-tag system of payment.
The opposition group concluded that e-tolling, in its current form, would simply not stand in the province, was not to the benefit of Gauteng road users, and should dissolved and replaced by a better method of payment.
Outa proposed the following process to dissolve e-tolling:
- A suspension of e-tolling and an invitation to stakeholders to engage in a facilitated process to imagine what a truly integrated urban transport and congestion management system for Gauteng would look like.
- During the suspension of e-tolling, the national fuel levy is increased appropriately (estimate 10c per litre) to raise the revenues to meet the GFIP financial commitments. If indeed a National fuel levy is a bridge too far for the authorities to accept, an inland fuel levy, such as was adopted to finance the fuel pipeline, will concentrate the charge to Gauteng motorists. Government has ring-fenced levies on fuel and we see no reason that this cannot be applied in this instance.
- A multilateral and multi-party working group of government, business, labour and civil society representatives is established to examine options for raising the necessary funds to repay the bonds and interest for GFIP, over 20 years.
- The Gantry and infrastructure remain in place on loan to the Gauteng Provincial Traffic Authorities for used for traffic monitoring and law enforcement (speeding, identification of cloned number plates, etc). If indeed at some stage in the future, when good public transport alternatives are in place, an ITS tolling system may become possible, but only after a thorough public engagement and approval process has been conducted.
The report was co-authored by Outa chairman, Wayne Duvenage, and Outa spokesperson and consultant, James Clarke, and has been sent to transport minister Dipuo Peters and chair of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport, Ruth Bhengu.
“This is not a manicured propaganda exercise. It is a serious effort to transcend the mess and find a way out what we believe is deep impasse that Sanral executives have led us into,” Duvenage said.
Outa maintained that it is not against the “user-pay” model of payment, nor is it countering the merits of an intelligent transport system (ITS), as both are, in theory, logically sound.
“The question is a matter of which of the available user-pay options are in the best interest of society,” Outa said. “We understand the efficiency benefits that modern electronic information technology can yield. It makes theoretical sense.”
“We argue that the manner in which Sanral and the authorities have introduced the present ITS is robbing this economic powerhouse of the opportunity to introduce a potentially successful and acceptable ITS funding mechanism for the viable development Gauteng’s integrated public transport system to address road congestion,” the group said.
More on e-tolls
Outa is wrong about e-tag sales: Sanral
Don’t just listen to Sanral, Outa urges MPs
Why e-tolls are unconstitutional
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