18 AUGUST 2017

ICSA president Patrick Kent has said that commercial jeeps and vans should not be deterred from using the motorway network due to unfair tolls. “Hard working farmers and small business owners using commercial vehicles are being hammered with excessive tolls, paying almost 80% more than what private car owners pay for using the same piece of road.”

Continuing Mr Kent said “We do not want to see a situation whereby we have more and more people opting out of using the motorway system due to the cost. The nature of farming and small business enterprises means that deliveries and trips to the mart and suppliers etc. must be undertaken on a frequent basis so the cost of tolls can really add up. With the system as it is we are essentially penalising hard working people trying to make a living. It is simply another cost that they cannot carry.”

“From a road safety point of view motorways have proven to be the safest roads on the network. Pushing larger vehicles back on to secondary and country roads is in nobody’s best interest. A fairer system would encourage all road users to use the motorway system rather than just see it as yet another costly rip-off. It is for these reasons that ICSA is calling for the same toll rate for commercial jeeps and vans as applies to cars.”

ENDS