Kilometre charge: Most people will end up paying less
Nieuwsbericht | 14-11-2009
Over the next few years, all road users will start to pay for using their vehicle rather than for owning it. The kilometre charge will halve the number of traffic jams and benefit the environment. How it will work and what it will cost are described in the bill on the kilometre charge proposed by Minister Eurlings and submitted to the Lower House of Parliament today by the Cabinet.
Paying for use
Road tax (MRB) and purchase tax (BPM) will be abolished. These will be replaced by a charge per kilometre travelled in the Netherlands, from motorways to roads in residential areas. This means that motorists will pay for using their vehicles. The proceeds from the kilometre charge will not exceed the combined proceeds from the ‘old’ taxes. As a result, the majority of motorists will benefit from the new system. The proceeds from the kilometre charge will go directly into the infrastructure fund. This fund will be used to build roads, railways and other types of infrastructure.
Fewer traffic jams, cleaner environment
The fewer emissions motorists create as they become more aware of their driving, the less they will have to pay. Research has shown that the number of kilometres travelled will be reduced by approximately 15% and the number of traffic jams will be halved as a result. In addition, the number of people killed on the roads is expected to drop by 7%. Road users will start to use alternative forms of transport as a result of which the use of public transport will go up by 6%. The environment also stands to benefit from the kilometre charge. CO2 and fine particle emissions will be reduced by more than 10%. In addition, vehicles will become cheaper as a result of purchase tax (25% of the price) being abolished. The total welfare gains from this system will amount to 1 billion euro per annum.
Fewer emissions will make driving cheaper
A base tariff will be paid per kilometre. Like now, the tariff will depend on the vehicle category: passenger cars, private/commercial vans, buses and heavy goods vehicles. Like now, the amount paid as the base tariff for passenger cars will depend on the CO2 emissions produced. In the case of other vehicles, the base tariff will continue to be determined by weight. Weight is closely linked to CO2 emissions. The following upward adjustments will be made to the average tariff for a passenger car up to 20181:
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,0 | 3,5 | 4,0 | 4,6 | 5,3 | 6,1 | 6,7 |
Besides this base tariff, the law allows a rush hour surcharge to be charged. This will apply to structural bottlenecks in the road network and potential short cuts. Lower legislation will govern whether or not a rush hour surcharge will apply to a location.
Like now, handicapped vehicles, agricultural tractors, speed-restricted vehicles, taxis, oldtimers pre-1987 and all public buses will continue to be exempt from payment. Motorcycles will not pay the kilometre charge either. An alternative payment system will be set up for foreign vehicles.
An instrument to supplement construction
The Cabinet sees mobility as a prerequisite for economic growth and as an established right which gives people the opportunity to develop and enjoy themselves. Since the 1960s, the number of kilometres travelled by vehicles has increased tenfold. Mobility is expected to increase by a further 40% by 2020. In order to ensure free-flowing traffic on the roads, it is necessary to introduce a kilometre charge as well as to develop the infrastructure. As a result, road users will start to become more aware of how they use their vehicles which in turn will improve accessibility.
Privacy ensured
A GPS device, which will record the distance travelled as well as the time spent travelling and the journey made, will be installed in every vehicle. This device will send the information to a collection facility where invoices will be drafted. Before long, motorists will be able to choose a provider offering additional services via this device such as route navigation. The information which is sent via the device will be legally and technically protected. Only the motorist will have access to this information. The authorities will not have access to any journey details and will not be able to track any vehicles. So the privacy of road users will be guaranteed.
Care comes before speed
With the introduction of the kilometre charge, just under nine million road users will be affected by the switch to the new system. Care comes before speed as far as this is concerned. As a result, pilot runs have already been carried out in order to test the technology and price sensitivity in practice and have produced successful results. The ambitions for this Cabinet period include completing the legislative process and testing the technology. Until then, the Minister and the Lower House have set clear decision points in order to enable the kilometre charge to be developed step by step.
1 These tariffs are based on maximum behavioural effects without any loss of tenability. If there are fewer behavioural effects, the tariffs will be adjusted pro rata. If there are no behavioural effects, then the average final tariff will be 5.8 cents.
