variable tolls in france

International Symposium on Road Pricing, Nov 19-22, 2003

Variable Tolls in France

International Symposium on Road PricingKey Biscayne, Florida – November 19-22, 2003

David LECOFFRE, Transportation AttachéEmbassy of FranceWashington, D.C.


Overview

Toll Roads in France Toll Rates in France Variable Tolls in France Case Studies of Variable Tolls Conclusions


Toll Roads in FranceGeneral Information about France

Area : 550,000 sq. km Population : 60 million

22 “regions” 100 counties 36,000 cities/local districts

Private cars : 29 million Comm. vehicles: 5.5 million


Toll Roads in FranceFrench Road Network

National Highways– 6,500 miles (75% toll roads)– Traffic > 30,000 vehicles per day (vpd)

Other National Roads– 20,000 miles– Traffic > 10,000 vpd

County Roads– 200,000 miles– Traffic > 1,000 vpd

Local Districts Roads– 300,000 miles– Traffic > 100 vpd

France is in a process of shifting road ownership of a large part of the road network from national level to county level


Toll Roads in FranceHistory of French Toll Roads

~ 50 years of toll road concessions experience

1955 Toll Act authorizing:– creation of state owned toll

road companies– right to levy tolls to finance

the “construction, maintenance and operation of highways”

Profitable toll roads have subsidized non profitable

5,000 miles toll roads constructed and now in operation in France


Toll Roads in FranceFrench Toll Roads Today

~ 5,000 miles of toll roads concessions– 4,500 miles operated by 6

mainly publicly owned companies (ASF, SAPRR, SANEF, ESCOTA, AREA, SAPN)

– 500 miles operated by a private company (COFIROUTE)

2 international tunnels operated by publicly owned companies (ATMB, SFTRF)


Toll Roads in FranceRole of the French Government

Perspectives of “privatization”: France studies the possibility of selling more of its shares in publicly owned toll road companies

Main Agencies involved : Road and Highway Administration (Dept. of Transportation) and Budget and Treasury Administrations (Dept. of Finance)

Role of the French Government evolves from Shareholder/Operator to Regulatory Authority

French Government has an important role in setting toll rates


Toll Rates in FranceGeneral Information

Average National Toll Rate (private cars):~Eur 0.07 / km

– Annual increase (Feb 1st)– a little more than inflation– Rate varies from toll company

to toll company (up to 30% variance)

Toll Rate evolution policy is determined by the French Gov’t. and the toll companies:

– in the concession contract (general framework)

– In the details, every 5 years, in a sub-contract

Average Toll Rate Evolution in France(1993-2003)

5

5,5

6

6,5

7

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Euro

cent

s / k

m cents(current)

cents(constant1993)


Toll Rates in FranceDefinition of “Toll”

The “legal definition” of a toll is complex : Fee for service, Tax, Price… lots of jurisprudence on the issue

For a long time, tolls used to cover the cost of infrastructure financing (construction, maintenance, operation)

In the future, a vocation to use tolls for :– traffic management– cover external costs (ex. environmental costs)

Several “variable tolls” experiences have been implemented in France in the last 10 years


Variable Tolls in France Definition of “Variable Tolls”

Variable tolls modify toll rates according to parameters such as time of day, itinerary, environmental reasons, etc.

A broadly used Variable Tolls : toll rates vary according to vehicle type (i.e.: passenger cars, commercial vehicles)

Three other interesting categories of variable tolls:– Time-variable tolls: toll rates based on the time of day – Itinerary-variable tolls: toll rate determined by route

traveled (when two or more possible routes)– Environmental-variable tolls: toll rates based on vehicle

emissions levels


Variable Tolls in FranceFrench Government Position

on Variable Tolls French Government has favorable view of variable tolls Has taken a pragmatic approach No specific and strict policy : “learning period”, step by step There are some general principles :

– Main legal principle: Two users may pay two different toll rates if and only if they are in « significant » different situations (legal jurisprudence)

– No revenue increase: a toll rate increase during a time of the day must be compensated by a decrease during another time

– Clarity and Simplicity: the user must easily understand the variable toll system implemented

– Public interest : ex. Variable toll fees may be used for road safety (tunnels)


Variable Tolls in FranceCase study #1 : A1 Lille-Paris (SANEF)

First Time-variable toll, North of Paris, from 1992, still in operation

Toll rates increased on Sunday evenings (weekend rush hour)

Toll Rate + 25% during « red hours » : 4:30-8:30 pm

Toll Rate –25% during « green hours » : 2:30-4:30pm and 8:30-11:30 pm

Success : 10% traffic transfer from red to green period, easing congestion


Variable Tolls in FranceCase study #2 : A10-A11 (COFIROUTE)

Southeast of Paris Connection A10-A11 March to November 1996 Sunday evenings Assessment : positive, 8 to 12%

traffic transfer, easing congestion

Initial evaluation period has not been extended due to public concerns

Cofiroute evaluates the opportunity of starting again


Variable Tolls in FranceCase study #3 : A14 (SAPN)

A14 Urban Toll Highway Paris - 10 miles, open 1996 A13 : free alternative but

congested during rush hours 1998 : Implementation of Time-

Variable Tolls Toll Rates vary according to the

time of the day. From 4 Euros to 6 Euros.

Objective: no traffic jams Toll subscription policy Electronic Toll Collection

System Car pooling, public acceptance


Variable Tolls in FranceCase study #4 : A1-A26 (SANEF & SAPRR)

Itinerary-Variable tolls Objective : avoid traffic around

Paris by using route A26-A5-A31 instead of route A1-A6

During Summer Holidays 93 and 94

Toll Rate + 1.5 Euros on route A1-A6

Toll Rate – 5 Euros on route A26-A5-A31

Success : users now know the alternative route

Initial evaluation period not renewed because A 31 now congested


Variable Tolls in FranceCase study #5 : A5-A6 (SAPRR)

Itinerary-variable toll rate Winter Holidays 1995 to 1997

(Paris to the Alps) South of Paris, use A5 instead

of A6 Success : 20% more traffic used

A5 instead of A6 Experiment not extended after

opening of A19 in 1997 for technical reasons


Variable Tolls in FranceCase study#6:Alpine tunnels (ATMB-SFTRF)

Environment-Variable Toll Rates Mountain regions : the Alps are an

environmentally sensitive area Mont Blanc Tunnel : 7 miles Frejus Tunnel : 8 miles Variable Tolls applies to Commercial Vehicles “Euro” Classification (according to vehicle

emissions) Commercial vehicles pay an additional fee (~5 to

10 %) to use tunnels for environmental and safety reasons

Transfer Freight on Rail Acceptance of the infrastructure by local

population


In conclusion… Long experience : 50 years tolling, 10 years using

variable tolls Variable tolling in France : a pragmatic approach, no

specific public policy at this time, French Government sets general principles as it goes along

Evolution of the concept of tolls : from a financing purpose (cover infrastructure cost) to a broader purpose (traffic management & cover external costs)

France--with its European partners--is in the process of forging new public policy by redefining tolls and determining to what extent variable tolls should be used.


THANK YOU !

Contacts:David LECOFFRE, Transportation & Infrastructure AttachéEmbassy of France4101 Reservoir Road, Washington, D.C. 20008Tel: (202) 944-6304Email: [email protected]

Additional contacts (French Road and Highway Adm.)Patrick Vieu, Toll Roads and ConcessionsEmail : [email protected] Fayard, Economic and European AffairsEmail : [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



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