2023-11-13 18:45:00
Aurélien Fleurot, edited by Gauthier Delomez / Photo credits: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP
The government wants to tax motorway companies (and airport groups) to finance rail, with the aim of decarbonizing transport. An additional cost which risks being reflected in the price of tolls, says Vinci Autoroutes, which raises the hypothesis of an increase of almost 5%, which could be spread over several years.
Highway companies do not view the government tax favorably. The State wants to tax these companies and airport groups to finance rail, with the aim of decarbonizing transport. But, this additional cost is likely to be reflected in the price of tolls, despite the government’s assurances on this sensitive subject.
For the moment, the motorway companies had not yet quantified the increase that it would pass on if the government’s proposal, which appears in the 2024 budget, goes all the way to recover 600 million euros per year and finance the railway.
“When we increase taxes, we automatically have an increase in prices”
However, according to Pierre Coppey, president of Vinci Autoroutes which owns half of the French network, the increase could reach 5%. “Experience shows that, when we increase taxes, we automatically have an increase in prices. A tax of 4.6% on motorway turnover automatically means an increase in tolls that is at least equivalent” , he explains at the microphone of Europe 1.
The standoff between highway companies and the government is ongoing. This 5% could be spread over several years, and not necessarily all at once in 2024. And then, extending the duration of the concession contract, even by one year, could be enough for these companies and guarantee them income. additional money to compensate, at a time when they must invest massively in charging stations and in the decarbonization of the road.
However, the government had assured that the end user would not be affected by this tax. The behind-the-scenes negotiations are therefore far from over.
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