More than 58.5 million vehicles used the Croatian motorways managed by the Croatian Motorways (HAC) and Rijeka-Zagreb Motorway (ARZ) companies in 2018, which is 5 percent more than in 2017, while tolls have been charged in the amount of more than 2.87 billion kuna without VAT, which is 6 percent more, reports Večernji List on January 4, 2019.
The increase in the number of vehicles by 5 percent compared to 2017 means that the motorways under the jurisdiction of the HAC and ARZ saw almost 3 million more vehicles, while the 6 percent increase in revenue from the tolls brought in 160 million kuna more.
The HAC also reveals that the provisional data show that the highest toll income in 2018 was realized on the A3 motorway (Bregana-Zagreb-Lipovac), about 946.9 million kuna without VAT, while the highest revenue by month was recorded in August, in the amount of 450.7 million kuna excluding VAT.
“According to currently available data for 2018, we note an increase in traffic and toll revenue on all highways, which means that HAC achieved planned results in terms of revenue and traffic growth for 2018,” the company said.
The total HAC revenues for the first 11 months of 2018 amounted to 2.07 billion kuna, while expenditures amounted to 1.64 billion kuna. As noted, this continued a trend of revenue growth and reduction of expenditures, with the expectation that positive trends will continue in 2019.
Among the 2019 business goals, one of the most important is the selection of a new toll collection system. In 2018, the Spanish company IDOM S.A.U., as a selected consultant, worked intensively on detailed analysis of possible technological solutions. “In the first quarter of 2019, we will know which toll system will be implemented. In the middle of the year, we plan to start preparing tender documentation for the procurement of the selected system, and the implementation of the system should start in 2021,” the HAC said.
For 2019, they announce the continuation of the modernization and the operational restructuring with the aim of further reducing operating costs, as well as the continuation of the investments, with a focus on the completion of the 5c transport corridor project and a bridge over the Sava river.
More news on the Croatian motorways can be found in our Travel section.
Translated from Večernji List.
