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Study shows 42% people are willing to pay etolls, Outa disagrees

To say that the South Africa’s National Roads Agency’s (Sanral) etolls have been highly controversial, would be a gross understatement.

Many different organisations want them scrapped, while Sanral has been pushing their merits.

Received wisdom is that most motorists would like to see the back of etolls. But according to a Quality of Life survey by the Gauteng-Region City Observatory (GRCO), some people are willing to pay for etolls – if they are happy with the condition of the freeways around Johannesburg.

The survey found that 42% who are satisfied with roads disagreed with the statement ‘I will never pay for etolls’. By contrast, only 38% agreed with the statement, even though they were happy with the current road conditions.

Those not happy with the current state of the freeways were a 34% equal split.

The survey’s results didn’t sit well with everybody, notably Outa.

“What is actually happening here is that Sanral is attempting to conflate the new road upgrade with the payment of e-tolls,” Outa said in a statement.

“No-one really denounces the need for the freeway upgrade which took place from 2008 to 2011, however, the vast majority of Gauteng motorists believe the introduction of the irrational and inefficient e-toll scheme is uncalled for and unacceptable.”

The Quality of Life survey also found that fewer people have changed their routes since the implementation of etolls

“Fewer respondents changed their routes because of e-tolls (14%) than had anticipated they would before the gantries were turned on (19% in 2013). However, the actual impact of e-tolls on changing modes (11%) is only slightly lower than anticipated (12% in 2013),” the GRCO explained.

This statement has also irked Outa.

“The fact that less people are avoiding the freeway to evade tolls does not mean more acceptance thereof.  Instead, it means that more people care less about the e-toll scheme and don’t pay anyway and thus have given up avoiding the freeway,” Outa said.

[Image – CC by 2.o/Axel Bührmann]

 

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