Infrastructure
Construction industry calls for car toll to combat “traffic collapse”
Dilapidated roads, outdated bridges: The transport infrastructure in Germany lacks investment. According to the construction industry, a well-known concept could bring about improvement.
The main association of the construction industry (HDB) is calling for a car toll and is warning of a traffic collapse given the dilapidated roads. The toll could bring in around three billion euros per year, said HDB managing director Tim-Oliver Möller to “Bild”. “The income must flow exclusively into road construction.” According to Möller, the toll is necessary because motorways and federal highways are in poor condition. “In order to finance them adequately, we would need around ten billion euros per year. Currently it is less than eight billion.” Möller warned that without tolls, Germany would face a “traffic collapse.”
According to Möller, vignettes based on the Austrian model would be practical. In order to relieve the burden on drivers in return, the mineral oil or vehicle tax could be reduced.
The so-called economists had also brought a toll into play in order to secure investments in the transport infrastructure. However, the project was rejected by the FDP. A toll planned by the CSU was stopped by the European Court of Justice in 2019.
dpa
Source: Stern
