The National Council is in favor of CO2 pricing as part of the truck toll
Rechtsgrundlage für Photovoltaikanlagen an Bundestraßen, mehr Geld aus Maut für Umweltmaßnahmen The National Council of Austria has voted in favour of CO2 pricing as part of Austria's implementation of the new EU infrastructure costs directive. The legislation includes the legal basis for photovoltaic systems on federal roads, more money from tolls for environmental measures, and no increase in infrastructure costs and vignette prices in 2024. The National Council's majority voted in favor of this, despite criticism that the increase in truck toll does not go far enough. The share of ASFINAG’s toll revenue will increase to 3%. The new pricing system for the mileage-dependent toll applies to vehicles with a technically permissible total mass of over 3.5 tonnes and will be implemented gradually from 2024 to 2026. The valorization of tariffs for including infrastructure costs in the toll for 2024 will be suspended.
Pubblicato : 2 anni fa di archyde in Environment
Legal basis for photovoltaic systems on federal roads, more money from tolls for environmental measures
Vienna (PK) – With an amendment to the Federal Road Toll Act and the ASFINAG Act, Austria is implementing the new EU infrastructure costs directive. The National Council Today, with the votes of the ÖVP, the Greens and NEOS, the majority voted in favor of not only including infrastructure costs and traffic-related costs due to air pollution and noise pollution in the truck toll in the future, but also taking into account the CO2 emissions of the vehicles. As part of the measures against inflation, there will be no increase in infrastructure costs and vignette prices in 2024. Innovations are also planned for the vignette system. A one-day vignette will also be created and a fixed price scale will be introduced for the different types of vignettes.
While for the SPÖ the increase in the truck toll does not go far enough, the FPÖ criticizes the fact that CO2 pricing for trucks will lead to the introduction of new taxes. The ÖVP, the Greens and Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler see the amendment as an important step towards greening the toll system and making road transport more cost-effective.
Two further resolutions in the transport sector were passed unanimously. The share of ASFINAG’s toll revenue that is used to finance environmental measures will be increased to 3%. According to the Federal Roads Act, photovoltaic systems that are located directly on federal roads will also be counted as components of the road system in the future.
There was no majority for the SPÖ’s request to include mobile homes in the weight class of 3.5 to 7.5 tons in the vignette system, and the FPÖ’s demand that driving a dog from a bicycle should be allowed.
CO2 pricing is intended to create more cost truth in heavy transport
The new pricing system for the mileage-dependent toll, which is collected via electronic systems, applies to vehicles with a technically permissible total mass of more than 3.5 tonnes and will be implemented gradually from 2024 to 2026. According to Transport Minister Gewessler Short story of the Federal Road Toll Act and the ASFINAG Act, the introduction of CO2 pricing and thus a step towards greater cost truth in road traffic. Furthermore, the valorization of tariffs for including infrastructure costs in the toll for 2024 will be suspended as part of the anti-inflation measures. For this reason, the toll vignette will not be adjusted for inflation next year. Due to the new EU directive, there are also innovations in the vignette system. A one-day vignette is created and a fixed price scale is set for the different vignette types.
For her, the increase in the truck toll does not go far enough, said Julia Herr (SPÖ), explaining her group’s rejection. The federal government is not taking full advantage of the EU framework and has “given in to the freight lobby”. What is needed is a truck toll that actually steers towards rail. During his term as transport minister, he introduced the first ecological aspects in the area of tolls, and now there are setbacks in this area under a green department head, criticized Alois Stöger (SPÖ).
Although the ÖVP promised not to introduce any new taxes when presenting the budget, the CO2 tax for trucks was decided today, criticized Gerhard Deimek (FPÖ). Ultimately, the resulting costs would be passed on to consumers.
Hermann Weratschnig (Greens) countered the SPÖ’s criticism by tightening the “price screw” for trucks and exploiting the EU’s scope within the framework of the infrastructure costs directive.
Andreas Ottenschläger (ÖVP) spoke of a practical and pragmatic way to continue the necessary greening. At the same time, however, care was taken to ensure that the increase was below the inflation rate. For ÖVP mandater Hermann Gahr, this is a courageous step so that trucks with lower emissions will be on the roads in the future. Given the high load on the Brenner route mentioned by several MPs, joint solutions must be found with the Bavarian and South Tyrolean partners.
Johannes Margreiter (NEOS) was concerned that the Brenner Base Tunnel might not contribute enough to shifting traffic to rail, as the infrastructure costs directive does not provide enough control here. Austria’s accession to the EU means there are fewer options for designing toll routes; the only option left is to “turn the capacity wheel of the motorways”.
More toll revenue should flow into financing environmental measures
ASFINAG is legally obliged to pass on one percent of the net toll revenue to the federal states for environmental measures in areas particularly affected by transit traffic. However, since the need for financing for such “life-improving” measures has increased significantly, this rate is increasing Application The ÖVP and the Greens have now unanimously increased it to three percent. The funds are earmarked and are intended to be used for measures to improve noise and emissions protection, to strengthen environmental protection in the regions affected, to improve traffic safety, to expand public transport, to reduce overall traffic pollution and to invest in cycle paths become.
All MPs who spoke on this, including Hermann Weratschnig (Greens), Rebecca Kirchbaumer (ÖVP) and Klaus Köchl (SPÖ), were pleased that more funding would be available for noise and emissions protection as well as cycling infrastructure in the future. Increasing the refund to 3% is “highly timely” and an important step for the population, such as those in the Tyrolean Wipptal, who would be exposed to traffic every day, said Kirchbaumer.
Photovoltaic systems can become part of federal highways
There was also unanimity for another Initiativantrag of the governing parties on the Federal Highway Act. In the future, photovoltaic systems in the immediate vicinity of the road will be included in the list of systems that are considered components of a federal highway.
For Alois Schroll (SPÖ), this is a sensible solution, as there has so far been little investment in photovoltaics in the public sector. The SPÖ has been drawing attention to using the areas along the streets for this purpose since 2021. The Minister of Transport agreed with this. ASFINAG will make a contribution to the energy transition in the future.
No majority for charging motorhomes using a vignette or for walking dogs on bicycles
There was no approval for anything related to the toll law Application the SPÖ to include mobile homes in the weight class of 3.5 to 7.5 tons in the vignette system.
The same applies to the Financial support the FPÖ to allow dogs to be ridden on bicycles, as in Germany, under certain conditions. (Continuation of the National Council) med/sox
NOTE: Meetings of the National Council and the Federal Council can also be followed via live stream and are available as video-on-demand in the Parliament’s media library available.
Temi: ESG