Kazakhstan has discussed changes that could be introduced to the country's toll road payment system. The government held the first meeting of a working group on road tolling, infohub.kz reports.
The focus was on possible approaches to charging commercial freight transport, including both domestic and foreign carriers. The government stressed that the proposed measures would not change travel conditions for citizens' personal passenger vehicles.
"We are building roads, but we continue to cover the costs of maintaining and repairing them from the budget. We need to build a system in which road infrastructure pays for its own upkeep," said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin.
Working group participants presented a number of initiatives. Independent insurance expert Aigerim Karabyyikoglu drew attention to differences in toll rates between Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. She proposed considering separate conditions for domestic carriers and developing mechanisms to insure foreign trucks when they cross the state border. According to the expert, such an approach could serve as an additional tool to offset the impact of freight transport on road infrastructure, as well as a source of funding for its maintenance and repair.
Farhad Nurkmamalov, a business analyst at the National Company QazAvtoZhol, proposed considering the introduction of annual subscriptions for transport companies. In his view, such a mechanism would allow carriers to pay in advance for planned mileage and, with large volumes of trips, optimize travel costs. It could also help increase payment collection and reduce debt.
Former MP Bolatbek Nazhmetdinuly proposed studying the possibility of differentiating rates depending on vehicles' environmental class, emission levels and load on the road surface.
At the end of the meeting, Serik Zhumangarin instructed that the proposals be further developed in detail together with government agencies, industry associations and business representatives.
"In further developing the approaches, it is necessary to take into account the interests of carriers and business, as well as to ensure a fair distribution of the costs of maintaining road infrastructure. At the same time, the main focus is proposed to be on commercial freight transport, without affecting personal passenger vehicles. Basic proposals are to be prepared and submitted for consideration by the end of November and presented at the next meeting of the working group," the government statement said.
Earlier, President Qasym-Jomart Toqaev called the situation in the transport sector absurd, saying that huge revenues were passing by. He described the current situation as "a road to nowhere."
Qasym-Jomart Toqaev also commented on the situation in the country's transport sector during his annual address to the people of Kazakhstan.
"That is the cost of the issue. It must be resolved no matter what. If the border has become a 'bottleneck' provoking multi-kilometer traffic jams, and that is exactly what is happening now, then there can be no talk of any leadership by Kazakhstan," the president said.
Later, the Ministry of Transport said that control over freight transport had been strengthened on key transport routes in Kazakhstan.