Toll booths lower prices after protest

Many toll booths in the Mekong Delta region have had to reduce fees following a driver protest at Can Tho-Phung Hiep build, operate and transfer toll booth in Can Tho City.

Protest at Can Tho-Phung Hiep build, operate and transfer toll booth

The authorities of Hau Giang Province and Can Tho City reported the situation at Can Tho-Phung Hiep toll booth and suggested lowering the charges on January 8. The Ministry of Transport agreed and directed the local authorities to submit a list of vehicles eligible for discounts to the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam by January 15. The directorate will report back to the ministry by January 20.

"Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Nhat appreciated the efforts made by Can Tho’s authorities. In the coming time, we should be quicker to deal with cases that are exempted or given lower fees. Investors will tightly co-operate with the authorities to deal with any congestion and problem from now to January 20," said Director of Information and Communication Do Hoang Trung.

On January 5, drivers in Can Tho City parked their cars at Can Tho-Phung Hiep Toll Booth to protest against unreasonable fees. Others protested by paying with small changes or getting out and pushed the cars through.

Can Tho City Department of Transport is reviewing other toll booths and will ask to lower the fees at several toll booths including Can Tho-Phung Hiep, O Mon and Thot Not for 1,037 vehicles.

Also on January 8, Soc Trang Province Department of Information and Communication held a meeting about the toll booths operate in their area with the investors and Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Nhat. The investors agreed to lower the fees for certain vehicles as soon as possible. Buses are already exempt from tolls from January 9.

According to the Department of Public-Private Partnerships, as of January 3, the Ministry of Transport had already lowered the toll fees for several types of trucks. Fees for trucks that are less than 18 tonnes were lowered from VND140,000 (USD6.17) to VND120,000. Trucks over 18 tonnes had fees lowered from VND200,000 to VND180,000.