Austria's road transport industry is threatening to challenge in the European Court of Justice state-owned motorway operator Asfinag's plan to increase modern HGVs road toll by 8% in 2014. The Austrian transport ministry has ordered that toll prices should be increased by 2.5% from the beginning of January 2014, in order to adapt to inflation. But the price increase for modern HGVs, such as Euro 6 vehicles, is set to be significantly higher in order to keep the volume of toll income stable, as there are now fewer older vehicles on the road to pay a higher toll.
According to Alexander Klacska, chairman of the federal traffic and transportation division of WKÖ (Austrian Economic Chamber), said modern HGVs have already paid up to €35 million (US$47.84 million) too much in tolls. Klacska estimates that Asfinag's income from tolls increased from €1.4 billion in 2009 to more than €1.6 billion in 2012, while the volume spent on construction works, including road improvement, has fallen from €1 billion to €600 million in the same period.
According to Alexander Klacska, chairman of the federal traffic and transportation division of WKÖ (Austrian Economic Chamber), said modern HGVs have already paid up to €35 million (US$47.84 million) too much in tolls. Klacska estimates that Asfinag's income from tolls increased from €1.4 billion in 2009 to more than €1.6 billion in 2012, while the volume spent on construction works, including road improvement, has fallen from €1 billion to €600 million in the same period.
