The Ministry of Transport has given the Norwegian Public Roads Administration the task of adapting the technical system AutoPASS, so that an arrangement with exemptions or reduced rates for light electric vans and heavy gas vehicles in the toll system is opened.
– This measure is in line with the government’s promise from the Hurdal platform to stimulate emission-free heavy transport, says transport minister Jon-Ivar Nygård. In two different call-to-action resolutions, the Storting has asked the government to establish arrangements to be able to reduce the toll rates for electric vans and biogas vehicles, so that it will be profitable to choose fossil-free also in heavy transport.
A separate tariff class was already created from 1 September 2022 for all gas-powered vehicles in tariff group 2 (vehicles that have a permit for a total weight of up to 3,500 kg) in urban areas where it is possible to differentiate the tariffs environmentally.
The Ministry of Transport has sent a letter of assignment to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. Now the Ministry of Transport is asking the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to arrange the technical toll system AutoPASS so that the technical solution that currently handles an environmentally differentiated tariff system is also introduced as a system for all public toll collection. This is currently only introduced in certain urban areas.
This will form the basis for setting a reduced toll rate for these vehicles, if the local authorities are in favor of this. In the toll system that has already been adopted by the Storting, guaranteeing parties will also have to give their consent to rate changes. It is expected that the technical solution will be in place by mid-October 2023.
– With this, we have met the Storting’s request regarding a possible toll reduction for light-eel vans and heavier gas vehicles, as well as fulfilling a promise from the Hurdal platform, says the transport minister.