The strong increase in traffic brought Asfinag an increase in toll income of 10.5 percent last year. These amounted to 2.3 billion euros. The net profit for the year was 755 million euros – after 742 million in the previous year.
The total mileage on motorways and expressways grew by eleven percent year-on-year in 2021 to 29 billion kilometers. “The truck has pulled out of the crisis,” said Asfinag CFO Josef Fiala yesterday, Wednesday, at the presentation of the annual figures. In 2021, car traffic was still 13 percent below 2019, while truck traffic was four percent higher.
Fiala said that Asfinag got through without state corona support. “Asfinag is the Republic’s most valuable holding, followed by the National Bank,” calculated Fiala.
Board colleague Hartwig Hufnagl also emphasized Asfinag’s responsibility as a partner to the construction industry. Almost half of the income goes into construction, renovation or investments. Due to the increased prices, this year’s construction projects are priced in with an average cost premium of 2.5 percent, and up to five percent for steel structures. The situation is also being closely monitored on the Linzer Westring (A26), according to Asfinag.
Asfinag’s debts are 10.75 billion euros, compared to the previous year 136 million euros were reduced. Asfinag is planning investments of 1.1 billion euros for this year.
The motorists’ interest group ÖAMTC criticized the dividend payment to the federal government: Asfinag will transfer 200 million euros to the Ministry of Finance for 2021. “Since 2011, 1.5 billion euros in toll revenue has been transferred to the federal government instead of improving the road infrastructure or further reducing Asfinag’s debts,” calculated Bernhard Wiesinger, head of the ÖAMTC interest group. The back of the vignette promises that 100 percent will be used for motorways.
Source: Nachrichten
