On March 1, Minsk / Olga Belyavskaya - BELTA /. All motor roads connecting Minsk with regional centres will be toll roads, reported on February 29 to journalists the Minister of Transport and Communications Ivan Shcherbo, as reported by BELTA correspondent. The toll collection system will be implemented on all republican roads of the first category. Belarus already has one toll road – M-1/E30. In the near future, roads from Minsk to Mogilev, Gomel, Grodno, and Vitebsk will become toll roads. "All motor roads from Minsk that will be brought up to the first category will be toll roads," said Ivan Shcherbo. At the same time, he added that the toll collection system will not be implemented on the Minsk Ring Road; however, the second ring road, which is planned to be built, will be a toll road. The Minister noted that Belarus has chosen the Austrian company Kapsch TrafficCom AG as a partner for the creation of a national electronic toll collection system for roads in Belarus. "We have studied the experience of European countries and concluded that this system is most acceptable for Belarus," he noted. In turn, the executive director of the Austrian company, Erwin Toplak, explained that the system planned for implementation does not require vehicles to stop for payment at special points. To travel on toll roads, it will be necessary to obtain an on-board unit, thanks to which the vehicle will pass through payment points without stopping. Drivers can make payments for road travel in advance or after travelling on it. This technology is implemented worldwide. The Austrian company has equipped more than 215 such installations not only in Europe but also in Australia, the USA, and South Africa. Erwin Toplak expressed confidence that the project will be successful in Belarus and that the investments made in it will pay off, as traffic flows through Belarus are steadily increasing. The Austrian company will not only build the system itself but will also provide its maintenance, involving Belarusian specialists in this process. The operation of the new system is expected to begin in 2013. In addition, the issuance of special on-board units for travelling on toll roads will begin in advance. This will create the necessary conditions for comfortable travel of vehicles on toll roads.

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