After October 30, any BOT station that does not install automatic toll collection must stop collecting tolls.

Non-stop toll collection aims to ensure transparency and absolute fairness. After October 30, any BOT station that has not applied this technology will have to stop collecting tolls. However, many BOT investors are still not satisfied with the way the non-stop toll collection service is implemented.

During the meeting to discuss the non-stop toll collection solution applied to BOT (build - operate - transfer) stations on the afternoon of September 11 at the Vietnam Road Administration, VETC Automatic Toll Collection Company Limited (service provider) and a number of BOT investors had many debates.

7 negotiations still not... successful!

Ms. Tu Minh Nguyet - representative of BOT investor Can Tho - Phung Hiep said: The policy of the Government and State on applying new technology for non-stop toll collection to bring convenience and civilization to the people is completely correct. But, the question is how to implement it?

According to Ms. Nguyet, this is the 7th time the unit has negotiated with the service provider. Because there are still many points that the investor is not satisfied with, they have not been able to reach an agreement.

“The signed BOT contract includes 3 phases: construction - business - transfer. After we finished investing in the construction of the road, a third party unrelated to the contract "jumped in" to implement our BOT contract in the business and exploitation phase. They blatantly became our investor in the project that we were the ones who invested money and effort to build,” Ms. Nguyet said.

The application of electronic non-stop toll collection technology will ensure transparency and fairness in road toll collection activities at BOT projects.

Referring to the issue of transparency in toll collection, Ms. Nguyet said that when a business like her own (not a state agency) stands up to collect and manage revenue from BOT stations, it is difficult to be transparent.

“If there is only one unit providing non-stop automatic toll collection services for the 29 toll stations of the project, VETC, will it ensure competition and fairness? Transparency is a matter of inspection and supervision by competent State agencies. If violations are detected, that enterprise must be held responsible before the law,” - the representative of the BOT investor Can Tho - Phung Hiep expressed concern.

Meanwhile, the representative of BOT 194 investor said: After many negotiations, the unit has not yet received a price list for installation services. If there is only one service provider, VETC, it will cause difficulties for the investor.

“The contract must be signed within 5 years, why not 2 years? Because if within the first year after signing the contract, the BOT investor finds that the automatic toll collection technology is inadequate or does not satisfy the requirements, then the contract can be terminated immediately. If it has to be signed for 5 years, you can say that the contract cannot be terminated within the first year, then the BOT investor still has to accept it” - the representative of BOT 194 investor explained.

Temporarily stop collecting tolls after October 30

At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Van Huyen - General Director of Vietnam Road Administration - affirmed: "There is no such thing as forcing investors".

Director General Nguyen Van Huyen frankly said: Any BOT investor who is not satisfied with the negotiation terms has the right to find another supplier. However, that supplier must be examined and approved by the Ministry of Transport and the investor must be responsible for connecting to the General Department's system.

“It is impossible for BOT investors to manage the non-stop toll collection system themselves. In order to unify the management, the Government has a policy to have the supplier supervise, then all data will be transmitted to the General Department of Roads for management, not to let a third party manage as investors worry,” Mr. Huyen emphasized.

After October 30, toll collection will be temporarily suspended on road projects that have not applied new toll collection technology.

The Director General of the Vietnam Road Administration said that regardless of which unit installs the non-stop toll collection technology, the BOT investors must complete it before October 2017 and cannot delay any further. After October 30, 2017, the Directorate will propose to the Ministry of Transport to stop collecting tolls for any unit that has not installed it.

Currently, there are a total of 29 toll stations nationwide under the project of collecting tolls in the form of automatic non-stop. Of the 27 stations negotiating with service providers, 23 stations have signed contracts to deploy non-stop toll collection services, 10 stations have been put into commercial operation.

It is known that the VETC automatic road toll collection service is applying a modern technology system at 7 toll stations on National Highways 1, 14, 10, 21 in Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Dac Nong, Gia Lai, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh. The service provides free VETC electronic vehicle identification cards, helping vehicle owners save time, fuel, reduce congestion and environmental pollution.

The Vietnam Road Administration has also just proposed to the Ministry of Transport to add toll stations to the project for road use services on the Phap Van - Cau Gie, Cau Gie - Ninh Binh, Hanoi - Hai Phong expressways and National Highway 5.

According to VNN