Because of the fall of the cabinet, road tolls are a long way off

Due to the fall of the cabinet, the road toll will be delayed by at least a year. That’s what Marnix van Rij, Secretary of State for Finance, expects.

The introduction is planned for 2030, at the earliest 2031 he estimates. On Wednesday, MPs decided that the issue was too politically sensitive to discuss before a new cabinet took office.

Road pricing in 2031 at the earliest

“Suppose there is a cabinet around mid-2024,” Van Rij thinks aloud. “You need a year and a half for the legislative process and then five years for implementation.” So yes, at the earliest on January 1, 2031.”

The Secretary of State says it is a “too bad” that he cannot complete this assignment, but that he will accept it. “Our fate lies in the hands of the chamber in the outgoing term.”

tax per kilometer

Road user charges have been discussed in The Hague for years. This has been particularly difficult for the VVD party, which often favors motorists, although the Liberals are now in favour.

What does the billing include?

With the road toll, motorists pay taxes per kilometer. Depending on the variant, this amounts to 7 to 8 cents per kilometer, as researchers previously explained in a report. In return, the vehicle tax that car owners pay quarterly is eliminated. The proceeds for the state treasury should remain the same. Why this system seems fair but is still unjust. We explained it earlier.

Usage-based payment, as street pricing is also known, is part of the plans presented by the cabinet in Brussels to demand billions from the European Corona reconstruction fund. Outgoing Minister Sigrid Kaag (Finance) previously warned that the Netherlands could lose money from this common pot if the House of Representatives postpones measures from the package.