The cost of the Gauteng highway improvement project will have “horrific” implications for motorists, the Automobile Association (AA) said on Friday.
Spokesperson Gary Ronald said: “We’re likely to see alternative routes becoming gridlock areas where back roads offer a toll free substitute … A trip from William Nichol to the airport could cost you a cool R38.”
He said South Africans may need to relook at public transport.
The move would also put a “nasty dent” in the freight industry’s pocket, said Ronald.
Earlier, the South African National Roads Agency announced it would cost motorists 66 cents a kilometre.
Its chief executive officer Nazir Alli said motorists who purchased the e-tag system would pay 49,5 cents a kilometre, while medium-sized vehicles with the e-tag system will be charged R1,49 a kilometre. Heavy duty vehicles with an e-tag will be charged R2,97 per kilometre.
Alli said that motorists would get further discounts depending on when they used the highway and on whether they were frequent users. — Sapa