The idea of a car toll in Germany is back on the table - despite the failure of earlier plans and the resulting high compensation claims. Economic experts are urging the German government to introduce a route-based toll in order to modernize the ailing transport infrastructure. But how realistic is this plan after the debacle surrounding former Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer's earlier toll plans?
The ADAC and other critics are sceptical about the planned car toll. Gerhard Hillebrand, traffic president of the automobile club, emphasises that motorists are already burdened by high energy prices and rising CO2 prices. Additional burdens in the form of a toll are inappropriate in this situation and cannot be communicated. He also criticised the removal of the earmarking of the infrastructure portion of the HGV toll for federal roads, which would make the discussion about a car toll more difficult.
Automotive expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer also expresses doubts about the planned toll. He emphasises that a mileage-based toll should not only take into account the length of the route, but also the traffic density. It is important that drivers travelling at peak times pay more than at off-peak times.
The previous plans for a car toll were declared illegal by the European Court of Justice in 2019, whereupon the German government was faced with high claims for damages. Andreas Scheuer and the CSU had lobbied hard for the introduction of the toll, but the plan failed spectacularly.
How realistic is the new push for a distance-based car toll in view of the problems encountered so far and the resistance from motorists and experts? Will the German government have the courage to revisit the controversial issue and find a solution that is both fair and practicable?