There has been a debate in Zambia as to whether we are ready to have toll gates or not. Some corners of society are for the argument that Zambia does not have the capacity to build such infrastructure.
Firstly, Zambians need to understand what a toll gate is, how a toll gate is built and how it operates. Secondly, to the average Zambian, having to pay for a service that is generally perceived to be free seems to be an absurd thing. Why should one pay for a road when they want to move from one place to another. To understand this one needs to know what a toll road is;
“this is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll (a fee) for use.”
To build roads costs billions of kwacha. Toll gates are necessary as the money raised from this will be used to maintain the roads and assist us in meeting the demands of social services, which are important for the growth of our country. Toll roads will accelerate the availability of initial funding for construction, compared to traditional tax based funding. Toll roads therefore will reduce the total net cost to the economy, ensuring greater opportunities for prosperity and growth.
Advantages of toll roads
Procurement and dedication of funds
Toll road schemes are more costly for road users than obtaining funds through taxation or a fuel levy, but the funds can be obtained much sooner. Toll roads enable the public sector to contract the private sector for the construction, operation and maintenance of the road for a period of 25 to 30 years. It is in short a self-generating form of income, the Government of the Republic of Zambia will play a moderating role and just ensure the laws are adhered to and roads are safe.
It is a funny thing to see a president launching road projects because that should be left to the Ministry or Department tasked with that. So if we have self-sustaining road mechanisms our dear President can concentrate on far important issues. The President is a human being and there is too much pressure in leading a country so this will lessen some of the pressure in the case of Zambia where we make a big deal of our President launching road projects, for example, the Link Zambia projects. I have never heard of President Jacob Zuma (South Africa) or King Mohammed VI (Morocco) commissioning a road. Why? Simple! This is because the mechanisms in place are developed to such an extent that a road maintaince programme runs itself without the president’s hand.
Improved road
The road is usually upgraded and expanded before it is tolled. This expansion provides increased capacity and thus reduced congestion. The upgrade of a road generally also improves the safety and decreases accidents. Expansion of roads such as the Great North and Great East Roads in this regard would be a good thing.
Tolls also act as a form of congestion charge. It rations the use of the road to those with the highest need to travel. This reduces unnecessary trips and congestion.
Job creation and gross domestic product (GDP)
Gross Domestic Product is defined as the total value of all final goods and services produced in the country. GDP is an indicator of welfare, and an increase in GDP could lead to a better life for a country’s population. Toll roads can significantly increase GDP over the lifetime of the project. A toll road project leads to direct (constructors, builders, architects) and indirect (toll road attendants, ambulance services at toll points, casual workers) job creation. Direct jobs are created in the construction, operation and maintenance of the road and indirect job creation is stimulated through the increased business and commercial opportunities following the development. We so need job creation in Zambia as the population is ever increasing.
Encourage the use of public transport
Government will make revenue if they are to invest in the public sector like a modern train service and bus service because people will use them to avoid unnecessary toll fees. This is a spill-over effect of toll gates.
Other major advantages of toll roads relates to funding, road condition and job creation. Funds can be procured more readily and are dedicated towards road improvement and maintenance. The roads condition is improved in terms of safety and capacity, which leads to safer and shorter travel times. Jobs are created in the construction, operation and maintenance of the road, as well as due to economic growth stimulated by the project.
Disadvantages of Toll roads
The disadvantages of toll roads are mostly related to user reactions. An increased load might be imposed on the alternative routes due to traffic diversion. Public transport will not be advanced, since toll roads encourage public vehicle use.
It has been revealed that society generally reacts negatively towards toll roads in the first few years after implementation. This is because the public finds it difficult to pay for things which were originally provided for free. Tolling is experienced as a sudden real expense, while the savings in running costs, services and saved time are not immediately notable. As soon as users get used to the tolls and realise the benefits, their attitudes will improve drastically.
The advantages far out-weigh the disadvantages so it tells us something.
FAQs
Why do I pay taxes and now also tolls?
When we pay taxes these monies are used for the service which government renders to us all. Taxes are used to pay for these services, whether we make use of all of them or not. Tolls on the other hand, will pay only a portion of road that we use in other words it is a user fee. Toll fees are used directly on the road, which is a benefit to the motorist.Taxes will not be used to fund a toll road and therefore this will reduce the tax obligation of the individual.
Why do we have to pay tolls on an existing road, which was paid for out of taxes?
Road performance depends on how, what and when maintenance is performed. Roads deteriorate over time due to environmental influences such as weather, ultra violet radiation, overloading etc. Tolls are not levied on the value of the current asset (road), but only on the initial and future improvements, including operations and maintenance. Monies derived from taxes are used on other, non-toll-roads, including city streets.
What will the toll fees used for?
The tolls collected on a specific road will be used to, inter alia, and repay the loans obtained to finance the building, upgrading or improvement of the road. In addition, it provides a dedicated on-going revenue stream, which enables the road to be adequately maintained and improved, independent of tax based revenues.
What do I get from using a toll road?
Toll roads are built and maintained to the highest possible standards. Therefore you are ensured of a smooth ride, saving you on the running costs of your vehicle and saving you time. Improved security ensures you a safe and pleasant journey. Tolls ensure that funding is available much sooner, for adding highway capacity at the right time thereby relieving congestion, reducing losses in time and productivity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Zambians should understand four realities about the transportation infrastructure situation facing us.
- The time for continuous expansion of the capacity of road networks is reaching saturation point and new ways of managing traffic and infrastructure should be identified and implemented.
- Public funds are not enough to sustain or maintain roads at the current or anticipated future levels based on the prevailing interest to expand traffic and the road network.
- Borrowing to build and operate a heavily subsidized transportation infrastructure is not sustainable.
- The rapid expansion of cars on our roads is simply unsustainable and becoming a strain on economic and social development.
Zambians should actually learn from other countries such as South Africa and Morocco (these were for the most part recently built) which have some of the best roads not only in Africa but the world over. Even our cash-strapped southern neighbor, Zimbabwe is implementing toll gates on major high ways. This is an indication of how successful toll gates can be given the fact that they are correctly implemented. The important thing to understand about toll gates is that, all we are interested in is seeing a good road network bearing good road markings which is a serious cause of accidents in Zambia, good signage, good road shoulders, safety precautions on roads and many other things that qualify for a good road. If a road is sold to a private or public contractor, they have to deliver this and if they fail the road is sold to the next available buyer simple as that.
By Edwin M Hatembo junior.
We need them asap, our roads have been destroyed too much.
but its our own ministers and businessmen in the transport business who are against this wonderful idea cos they have a lot of buses, trucks, minibuses, taxis etc.
have you ever asked yourself as to why the zambia railways project have failed to take off? its because of these few but greedy individuals that are sabotaging the project believe you me.
you have t build new roads on which toll gates will also be built. Zambians pay fuel levy for road maintenance so we dont need to pay another fee for roads that are not even maintained in the first place
Look at the current state of many roads, they are death traps, with open pits all over and yet we have RATSA with the responsibility of ensuring road safety.
Road safety is not only about arresting drink driving motorists, but having good roads with clear and conspicuous road signs, well marked and divided lanes among others.
Improve the state of roads (like the zimba-livingstone road) and build new ones first then we will have no problems paying the proposed toll and not paying for death toll
Why toll gates when citizens are hit by fuel levy, zambia has a good history of misapplication of funds. So go ahead and make more cash for bye-elections
There are a load of advantages to toll roads – in fact to many public private partnership (PPP) schemes. The question that really needs to be asked and an this is an issue that requires to be addressed is that is OUR GOVERNMENT READY FOR THESE PPP INITIATIVE? One paramount issue that enables PPP’s to be a success is that GOVT is just a partner and not a DICTATOR to these schema. The way SATA and his PF govt. (incl. past govts.) operate using dictatorship and as such want to control everything in the land of Zambia (people included) and as such which potential investor would be safe engaging into a PPP scheme? The advantages of PPP are clear but is the GOVT. ready with the logistics?
We need toll gates in place!!!! Let’s not be backwards,we need to move with time and accept great infrastructural developments like toll gates…some hopeless youth out there ll have a sustainable job and the government ll have some revenue to fund more infructural developments (roads)….The Moroccan road system is in great shape and there road infrastructure is always on construction and renovation thanks to the revenue from these toll gates and some bit of external funding…Let’s move with time my country men and women,thank you.
Cleo, do you know that Govt has already levy on fuel for road maintenance. Meaning whatever, they will be collecting from toll gates, they are already collecting. So the simple question is why are the roads not in good condition like your Moroccan roads? Even the money we are paying RATSA for road license, is also meant for same road infrastructure. The foreign vehicles are also charged at the point of entry. ……………………In short, Govt might have good reason to introduce yet another levy for road maintenance, but I can 100% assure you this money will wont be used for intended purpose. I know most Zambian dont know that Govt is already collecting similar levy and most people they think pass through a toll gate is development (Just the way they have see it in Morocco or SA.
If only all monies were used for the purpose specifically for which they are collected, no Zambian would object such development! But looking at how monies collected for specific purposes, have been diverted, misapplied, but worst of all STOLLEN; some people are ready to object these development programs. A lot of money was released for the recent UNWTO preparations, to date some people are still answering questions before Law enforcement agencies on how they used that money. If only people in govt could exhibit a small fraction of trustworthiness in the use of money collected from the public, each and every Zambian would gladly welcome and support the establishment of toll gates.
mind you @ 15/toll gate for a car like a land cruiser Prado, Lusaka Livingstone and back will now cost 300 as there are 9 toll gates along the way. more so are government, army zp (they are the largest flee) etc vehicles going be paying or they will be exempted?
while toll gates sound good we need to further appreciate that there is still tax, levies on fuel which our friends in the region do not have
Toll gate every 100km.
we will have to start hammering from within lsk hehehehehe!
Tax will be a show stopper for PF in the coming elections.
three taxes,road tax ,road fuel levy,toll gates on one person.taxing to death while we subsidise the mines on electricity,
once the toll levy is introduced then the fuel levy will be done with.
i presume…
once the toll levy is introduced then the fuel levy will be done away with.
i presume…
Ba Mature, I doubt if the fuel levy will be removed. This is the govt which is more happy to remove taxes on the mines while increasing taxes for ordinary Zambian. I am just from registering a mining company and I want the govt to give me all the tax rebates.
Nice!!!! I have always wondered why people do not comment on such topics but will always find time to comment on bad things on tumfweko.
we need them lets not a cart before the horse,build the actual tollgates with automated security features including e cards to avoid making tuntemba
But we are already paying fuel levy for road maintenance, which places like SA is not being charged, because its collected through toll gate. This is double taxation.
in Europe or elsewhere, when travel fares are hiked, few people make noise (there will always be people who will make noise for the sake of it), but the majority go on to accept the hiked fares because in 6 months or so they see new Metros, new trams, new Buses, road and tramway renovations are ongoing, improved road and tramway network. In short, “you pay, and it shows”. But when you keep on paying road tax, fuel levy, etc and “it does not show”, then it becomes difficult to support a new road “levy” in name of toll gate. Let the govt promise to use toll gate revenue for road betterment, we will all welcome and gladly pay.
Its funny how I hear people say ‘government’ is stealing. when it is the same civil servants who are busy stealing. going on trips that dont exist, doing public service audit is fun.
They are part of government fo..ol. All PSs are civil servents…lol
they are very few PS compared to the civil service as a whole. Am an auditor .i know what am talking about.
Yes we want toll gates in zambia,that will be a step foward in the country’s development.Good ideal Mr president sir.
Make sure we adopt a better and modern Technology (that one shownby LT is outdated), The Toll system should be Human independent. Else corruption will be at its pick. Follow the Dubai concept Called Salik??? With vehicles having a passive RFID chip on the windscreen. Automated payment and can top-up just like your Pre-Paid Phone service. Let us be the first in Africa. Call us we will advise You.
these toll gets will make the government unpopular. stop it or get arrested
Excellent food for thought tactic and way to go! This is the only way we shall circumvent those pilfering Civil Servants to man these Toll Sites as Toll Collectors. They shouldn’t handle any money what so ever, but these microchips surely must be rechargeable devices fiited on windshields and function as such. RDA, please make a trip to Dubai as our emissaries on errand for our seek. We shall endorse for your insightful mission and give us feed back on how this system works. Information translates to knowledge which vehemently drive us to become a power house, that is the way to go. You a true patriot, my fellow patriot!!!
Toll gates/ peage are working very well in DR.Congo and it has help the government raise funds for road expansion. This will also make foreign vehicles to contribute as most of them come with fuel from outside Zambia.
From Kasumbalesa to Lubumbashi, small cars and light trucks pay equivalent of 50 kwacha, then foreign registered vehicles pay 50 US dollars. Foreign registered trucks pay up to 300 US dollars.
Ata bane, they will raise money quiet well but will not use it for intended purposes.
I am for the idea, they just have to come up with a hightech system of collecting the tolls. And everybody including government officials should pay.
I agree with Chota. Zambian government is well known as breeding ground for corruption and poor financial management. Year in and out, not even a single government departments gets a clean audit report.
Fellow tax payers, please let us wake up. If the Minister of Justice has public announced that his colleagues are corrupt, who are we to argue?
Again it is not the people we voted for, but the quality of our voters. Now that we know the solution,Let us all remove these corrupt elements from society in the next elections.
Road tolls are a spring board for social economic developments
Lets face it! Boma must surely cease to opeartion as like an NGO if we are to see development in our life time, as true Patriots.
Zambians! let us learn to be passionate about things which mean well and good for development moreover bring about a comfortable life style even if it means benefits were to come not in our life time. Time for campaigning hasn’t yet dawned 2016 is still far off!!
Walasa Prince let the toll gates be introduced and before they implement they should consult on how the automated payment is done to avoid fraud or corruption take place.
@ Ba zecky: Thanks, works perfectly in the UAE, even sends an alert if your credit is low. Same with road Tax and Fitness certificates all linked to the vehicle Insurance with a chip. Nothing like those stickers they put on windscreens back home. Can be a Hazard to drivers. Knowing our Ministers, We just have to watch out they think South Africa is their benchmark and bring useless outdated systems??
They have already engange South Africa company, why do you think Yaluma was moved. he wanted to get cut and Sata got wind of it
The idea is ok except that the amount slummed is scaring. If they could start with a very minimal amount so that bit by bit people gets the understanding.
It is naive to think that having toll gates is the magic wand that will improve the condition of our roads. As I understand this, the plan is to have toll gates on the major trunk roads but, the real pain and is driving on the local Municipal roads! These are the roads that need the investment.
The solution is not as simple as this article is suggesting. There is more to road maintenance and management than introducing toll gates. Until much thought is put into this problem we’ll just continue dodging potholes; even after toll gates are introduced.
they are starting this week friday for your own information they will start with mobile weighbridges
This is the way to go; we need to manage our roads as a business venture. I am sick and tired of unnecessary congestion. This is the way to go………….
I don’t mind paying toll gates fees but you will see the quality of the same gates they will bring the depressions on the road the gates will be installed because of the poor quality of our roads. just look at points we have humps or permanent check points its a total disaster not to mention the congestion they will cause due to pure inefficiency. up your game and we will gladly pay
LOL!
Zambian’s really love to spill knowledge acquired from reading books and expect things just to work out and get paid for it.
What is it that he has said in the article that we don’t know about…!?!
The real and obvious question here is ARE THEY GOING TO DO IT?
Can Zambian’s please stop been too academic, and be bloody practical for once…..! I don’t see these so called “good roads” in the next three years.
Does the author of this article know that we already pay for using the roads? We pay through road tax, fuel levy. Now with this quality of roads the govt wants to add another levy? I would not mind paying toll fees if the roads are good and well maintained. If fact there should be alternative roads for people who cant afford the toll fees. The convenience of using a toll road should clearly be clearly seen to encourage people to use. For example, it should be faster by not adding traffic lights, and there should be fly over bridges for any road crossing it. Toll fees should be implemented on foreign vehicles as they enter our borders. They are the people who do not pay road tax.
Good idea, but the moneys will end in individuals pockets such as borders and road blocks. Look at the moneys charcoal traders pay, is it used in replanting trees? They wouldn’t be this much of deforestation. This is Janbia
Toll gates? Not with this government.
Toll gates are good and it is a wonderful idea though bites double. I say it will bite double following the question of where will the road tax money go and why then pay for road Tax? Do we have the machinery to do the work firmly in place? If we have the muscle, then lets do it. My other fear is that if the mechanism will be done manually with receipt issued by a person, then the money will end up in peoples’ pockets.
The ten kwacha for a small car is just too much per carn but the government must reduce it to K1/car.
Toll Gates in Zambia February 2014, “Sorry SIR the system is down I cannot issue a receipt, Sir the man with the password is not yet in, the driver left him, Sir do you have a K2, I don’t have change. Sorry Madam the printer rolls are finished supplier is on the way.
Newspaper headline”” Toll Gate operator disappears with unbanked toll gate collection s at Turnpike Toll gate”.
dull author. unproductive education, no wonder there are no productive units…… ever trying to deprive the people of the little income the earn. Failures period!!!!
I travelled by road to Harare last week, through Botswana. It is embarrasing that we are still discussing the pros and cons of toll roads, when our colleagues in Zimbabwe have already started installing state-of-the-art toll gates. The roads have tremendously improved and more toll gates are being introduced. This is the same Zimbabwe which, a mere 4 years ago, was down in the doldrums with no hope of rescucitating from the crippling inflation. Designs for toll gates are not an issue, the problem, I feel, is the redudant EIZ which in my opinion should drive such projects, by selling the ideas to govt. But as know in Zambia, there are people that survive on the chaos that is so prevalent in Zambia. Any project that seem to bring order, is not good and will be shot down. Amen.
PF leader, do you that we are already paying the same levy being paid through toll gates in Zim and SA. We have a different name, called fuel levy for road maintenance (this not being paid in SA, because they have toll gates in place). why is it that our roads are in bad state? dont just copy and paste whatever you see, MMD thought through this and PF just want to levy/tax ordinary Zambian more and more, while at mind night they are busy issuing IS-89 (NO DUTY FOR MINES)
If PF can manage the cash realized then lets go for it.just remember to remove fuel levy and road tax from tax base.
I very much doubt if they will remove other taxes, unless if you were a mine
The only bad thing is pf thieves mismanaging national resources the pf regime useless the worst in Africa!
We already pay Road tax, Carbon tax and fuel levy. NAREPS contention is that paying taxes is ok as long as there is accountability by the government. We pay so many exorbitant taxes without any benefit of paying these taxes whatsoever. We go to private hospitals, take our children to private schools and drive on bad roads. The taxes we are paying are enough for govt. to maintain and construct new roads. The sad story is that our taxes are invested in politician’s salaries and allowances. Any new roads you see today are built from borrowed money which the youth of this country will have to repay at great cost when these unschooled skunks would be long dead. My problem is also *****s like [email protected] who cannot think and when we vote these *****s are in the majority. They have eyes bu