Mozambique bridge tolls quietly go up 25 to 400 percent

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Mozambique bridge tolls quietly go up 25 to 400 percent

2:17 CAT | 20 Nov 2018

Armando Emílio Guebuza bridge. Photo: A Verdade

The government has increased the toll rates for crossing the main bridges in Mozambique by 25% to 400%, and also introduced tolls on the Lucite, Goba, Licungo, Ligonha, Lúrio and Púngoè Sul bridges where crossing was previously free.

The Council of Ministers quietly approved the new regulations on 11 September.

The largest increase is for those crossing the Armando Emílio Guebuza bridge. The new tariff for crossing the Zambezi River between the provinces of Sofala and Zambézia have been in force since 1 November, A Verdade discovered via the Bulletin of the Republic, Number 213 of the First Series.

Light vehicles now paying 80 meticais will pay 100, medium heavy duty vehicles now paying 100 pay 150 meticais. Large heavy duty vehicles saw rates increased from 400 to 500 meticais, while heavy goods vehicles with five or more axes pay now 1,000 meticais, against the previous 800.

However, A Verdade found that the highest percentage increase applied to the monthly rate of 100 meticais that local residents pay for car crossing, which increased 400% to 500 meticais. Semi-public passenger transport vehicles will now pay 1,000 meticais per month.

Boletim da RepÃºblica nÃºmero 213, da I SÃ©rie

Motorists crossing the Xai-Xai, Guijá, Moamba, Save, Lugela and Ilha de Moçambique bridges are seeing increases varying between 100 and 275%. Light vehicles start paying 25 meticais, medium heavy vehicles 50 meticais, large heavy trucks 150 meticais and large heavy vehicles with five or more axles 200 meticais. Local residents with light cars pay 150 meticais per month and semi-collective urban passenger cars pay 300 meticais per month.

Boletim da RepÃºblica nÃºmero 213, da I SÃ©rie

Fine for infractions is 20 times the value of the respective toll rate

A Verdade also reports that the government has decided to introduce tolls on the Lucite, Goba, Licungo, Ligonha, Lúrio and Púngoè Sul bridges. Tolls there will be 25 meticais for light vehicles, 50 for medium heavy cars, 150 meticais for heavy goods vehicles and 200 meticais for large lorries with five or more axles. Local residents’ light vehicles attract a monthly fee of 150 meticais, while semi-collective urban passenger cars pay 300 meticais per month.

These new rates were approved before the introduction of the toll in the mega-project Maputo-KaTembe bridge, where light cars pay 160 meticais, average heavy goods vehicles 320 meticais, large heavy goods vehicles 750 meticais and heavy goods vehicles with five or more axles, 1,200 meticais.

The toll structure exempts that the vehicle of the President of the Republic and his entourage, the provincial governor and entourage, military and police cars, ambulances and emergency services vehicles.

Failure to pay the toll rate, damage to the toll infrastructure, unauthorised opening of a toll gate, trespassing on a toll bridge and driving into oncoming traffic are punishable by a fine corresponding to “20 times the value of the respective toll rate” .

A Verdade has established that toll fees contribute an insignificant 1% of overall Roads Fund revenue, which has as its main source of revenue external credits and the fuel tax that all motorists pay whenever they fill their cars.

By Adérito Caldeira

Source: A Verdade