A69 motorway tolls France, Digi Mart USA News (France): The A69 motorway, whose construction was contested for four years by environmental associations, was opened to traffic on Friday, November 6, by Atosca, the concessionaire of the 53 kilometers of motorway linking Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) and Castres (Tarn). According to the operator, the road saves drivers “20-25 minutes” thanks to an automatic toll system without barriers.
To use the expressway, motorists will have to pay 10.20 euros. The amount has drawn criticism.
According to AFP, the higher rate results from an unfavorable opinion from the Conseil d’État, which questioned the legality of an amendment providing subsidies from local authorities and the state that would have reduced the toll by roughly 33%.
At 19 centimes per kilometer, the A69 immediately ranks among the five most expensive motorways in France.
The Duplex A86 tops the ranking at 1.49 euros per kilometer. This 10-kilometer tunnel links Rueil-Malmaison (Hauts-de-Seine) and Vélizy-Villacoublay (Yvelines) and opened in 2011.
Its operator, Vinci Autoroutes, states that the tunnel can be crossed in less than 10 minutes, compared with an average of 45 minutes on surface roads. The toll ranges from 1.70 euros at night to 14.90 euros during peak hours.
The A14 ranks second at 0.56 euro per kilometer. It connects the La Défense business district in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) with Orgeval (Yvelines) and was commissioned in 1996 as France’s first urban toll motorway.
Operated by Sanef, the 20-kilometer section costs 9.20 euros in off-peak hours and 13.40 euros in peak hours for a class 1 light vehicle.
The A41 North ranks third at 0.48 euro per kilometer. In service since 2008, the LIANE, the northern section of the A41 linking Annecy (Haute-Savoie) with Geneva, Switzerland, in under 30 minutes, carries more than 30,000 vehicles daily over 19.6 kilometers.
The toll is 9.40 euros for a class 1 light vehicle, according to operator Adelac.
The A19 ranks fourth at 0.21 euro per kilometer. The 131-kilometer motorway between Artenay (Loiret) and Sens (Yonne) opened in 2009 and is operated by APRR and Cofiroute.
Its operator says nearly 10,000 vehicles use it daily. The toll for a class 1 light vehicle is 28.60 euros.
The A65, known as the “Gascony motorway,” also charges 0.19 euro per kilometer, the same rate as the A69. The 150-kilometer route links Langon (Gironde) and Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) and opened in 2010 to open up the Landes and Béarn regions.
Citing Sud-Ouest, the report notes an average of 8,000 vehicles per day, about 10% of them trucks, fewer than initially expected. The class 1 light-vehicle toll is 28.90 euros, according to operator Alienor.
About 90% of France’s motorway network, or 8,370 kilometers, is operated by private concessionaires. Each company sets its per-kilometer rate under its contract with the state.
Annual increases are calculated from inflation and the concessionaires’ investment plans. According to the Ministry of Transport’s office, motorway tolls generate about 13 billion euros a year, and one-third of that amount finances maintenance and operation of the roads.
