In the discussion of the operation mode of domestic expressways, a long-standing question is why many foreign expressways will choose to stop charging after expiration, or even some will not charge at all, while China's expressways will continue to be charged after expiration. Recently, there has been new progress in this problem, and the first expressway in China that has stopped tolling when it expires - Guangzhou-Foshan Expressway has been born.
The operation model of the Guangzhou-Foshan Expressway has changed, and the toll collection has been stopped, but the existing toll collection facilities have been retained and the operation continues to be carried out in a zero-rate manner. All vehicles passing through this section will be exempt from tolls, while vehicle tolls for other sections will still be collected. Regarding the issue of road maintenance costs, Guangfo Expressway will continue to be responsible for the management and maintenance of Guangfo Expressway. However, there needs to be a clear system to regulate where the relevant expenses come from and how to strictly manage the budget, so as to prevent the waste of money or the failure of the highway due to poor management, which eventually becomes a "turtle highway".
Guangzhou-Foshan Expressway is the first expressway in Guangdong Province and the second expressway in China, which was completed in 1989 and has a history of 33 years. According to the Regulations on the Administration of Toll Roads, which came into effect on November 1, 2004, the maximum period of toll collection for commercial roads in central and western provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall not exceed 30 years. Theoretically, the Guangzhou-Foshan Expressway should stop charging in 2019. However, in 2018, the Ministry of Transport issued a draft amendment to the Regulations on the Administration of Toll Roads for public comment, which stipulates that for toll roads with large investment scale and long return period, the toll period can exceed 30 years. Since the Guangzhou-Foshan Expressway was expanded in 1999, it is reasonable to postpone the suspension of tolls for three years.
For some expressways that have not stopped tolling for more than 30 years, the main reason is that the national expressway as a whole is in a state of loss, so most of the expressways will appropriately extend the toll time. Some highways in the central and eastern regions may stop tolling relatively soon due to their better profitability.
As China's expressways have experienced a leapfrog development stage, it is expected that in another ten years, there will be more and more free expressways in China. This change not only reflects the achievements of China's highway construction, but also puts forward new challenges and opportunities for future highway operation and management.
Here, we encourage readers to actively participate in the discussion and share your views and suggestions on the highway toll model in China. At the same time, we also expect the relevant departments to further improve the highway management system, ensure that the use of funds is transparent and reasonable, and provide better and more convenient travel services for the majority of drivers. Please follow up on the follow-up report and the future development of China's highways.