Mugabe ‘vigorously’ plans urban tollgates

via Mugabe ‘vigorously’ plans urban tollgates – New Zimbabwe 01/02/2015

THE Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara) is waiting government approval to introduce urban tolling, which it says will raise funds for new roads in cities and major towns.

Urban tolling has been on the cards for some years but critics say it will worsen congestion in the city centres.

“We are going to pursue the issue of urban tolling vigorously and we will model it to suit our local conditions,” Zinara board chairman Albert Mugabe told a meeting of road authorities from around Africa in Victoria Falls.

“We have mooted the idea to the (transport) minister Obert Mpofu and we are waiting for the green light.

“We can’t wait to be funded by the fiscus and have to find ways of raising revenue for road development.”

Mugabe said there was no budget yet for the project.

Zimbabwe introduced tollgates on its national highways in 2009 and Zinara said it collected about $15 million in the year to August 31, 2014.

Critics of plans to extend the tolling to urban routes say it would add to the burden of an already over-taxed motoring public.