SANRAL demonstrates e-toll system operations
On Wednesday, 7 November the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) hosted members of the media at the e-toll Central Operations Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg for a technical briefing and live demonstration of the e-toll system for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP).
The centre staff demonstrated the toll transaction process cycle, from Road Side Collection to the Transaction Clearing House and the Violations Processing Centre for outstanding fees.
Even though tolling has not yet started on the upgraded GFIP roads, Alex van Niekerk, GFIP project manager, pointed out that over 10 000 road users are already successfully using their Gauteng e-toll accounts to pay their tolls at the Bakwena electronic tolling facilities on sections of the N1 and N4 highways. "This means that these road users who chose to activate their Gauteng e-toll accounts for use at Bakwena do not have to wait in queues in the manual payment lanes, which saves them time," added Van Niekerk.
Van Niekerk emphasised the importance of registering for an e-tag account stating that the quickest, easiest, and subsequently the most cost effective method of toll collection is from a compliant, registered e-tag account holder.
"E-tag users also qualify for the whole spectrum of discounts available which means they pay the lowest possible toll fees."
He told reporters at the briefing that as part of the e-toll system tests, SANRAL monitored over 2 million vehicles in the last few months. Information collected during this period shows that over
90 percent of e-tag users in the light motor vehicle category will pay less than R200 a month in toll fees.
In contrast, the process of collecting toll fees from a non-compliant road user is longer and thus more costly, hence the higher tariff applicable.
He also emphasised that road users do not have to provide SANRAL with their banking details when registering for e-toll. He explained that there is the option of a prepaid account where users can pay their toll fees in cash or by debit card at the e-toll customer service outlets or by electronic funds transfer (EFT).
Registration for e-toll is still open and road users can either register online at www.sanral.co.za, by calling the e-toll call centre on 0800 SANRAL (726 725) or at an e-toll customer service outlet. Road users can also register by filling out a customer information sheet and faxing it to 0800 SANRAL (726 725), or e-mailing it to [email protected] or handing it in at an e-toll customer service outlet.
For those visiting or travelling through the province, Van Niekerk pointed out that visitors to Gauteng can buy a Day Pass which grants them unlimited access to the Gauteng e-Road network for 24 hours from the time their first e-toll transaction is registered. A road user can buy up to 12 Day Passes a year at a cost of R50 each.
Statement issued by SANRAL, November 7 2012
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