23 December 2002
Government to collect tolls from all Belarusian vehicles on Brest-Minsk-Russian border highway
The Council of Ministers will soon issue a directive that tolls should be collected from all Belarusian vehicles using the Brest-Minsk-Russian border highway, the press office of the Belarusian transport
ministry's road construction and maintenance department
Belavtodor, told BelaPAN.
Currently, the tolls are collected from foreign vehicles and Belarusian vehicles having more than three axles. The government plans to start collecting the tolls from cars, biaxial trucks and tractors, as well as buses registered in Belarus.
Belarusian drivers are expected to have to pay "no more than 1000 rubels at each road fee collection post," Belavtodor said. The 610-kilometer Belarusian section of the highway has four such posts, according to the department. To avoid paying the toll, drivers will have to
choose other routes, the press office said. The total amount of tolls collected from vehicles with four or more axles for a passage through Belarus by the highway will remain the same, i.e. $50. However, the directive would provide some changes in the collection procedure.
The press office linked the directive to the need to repay a $50-million loan provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development between 1994 and 1998 for the renovation of the road. In addition, the government has to repair and properly maintain the highway, secure traffic safety and develop roadside services, the press office said.
http://brestonline.com/en/news/news327.html