Bikers Against E-tolls oppose E-toll testing in Durban

THE group, Bikers Against E-tolls’s Tess Matthysen, said the group is very upset with the launch of the e-toll testing to take place between KZN and Gauteng.

The company responsible for the N3 toll route between Heidelberg in Gauteng and Cedara in KZN, N3 Toll Concession (N3TC), has started with testing of its electronic toll collection (ETC) system in selected toll plaza lanes from 13 July.

Matthysen said many people from KZN were not keen on their group and opposing the e-toll system as they didn’t feel they were affected by it.

“This is why we were boycotting the e-toll system, to make sure that it doesn’t come to this,” she said.

N3TC aims to implement electronic toll collection (ETC) as an additional convenient payment method for vehicles fitted with electronic tags. It is envisaged that ETC will be implemented at all plazas along the N3 toll route during the latter part of 2015.

While testing is underway, road users with tags in their vehicles will hear a ‘beeping’ sound when they pass through certain toll plaza lanes along the N3 toll route. Road-users should not be concerned that any money will be deducted from their accounts when they hear this sound.

“There is no need to be alarmed. This is not a live transaction environment, merely a testing phase to ensure equipment and operational functionalities,” says Andy Visser, N3TC marketing manager.

Bikers Against E-tolls says the discounted fees and additional convenient payments don’t mean much as they feel they shouldn’t be tolled at all.

All tolling operations along the N3 toll route will continue to function in the manner in which users are accustomed. N3TC will continue to accept all existing payment methods along the N3 toll route, which includes cash, credit and fleet cards for light vehicles (class 1) and cash or fleet cards for heavy vehicles (classes 2 – 4). No debit cards, Diners’ Club, American Express or international bank cards are accepted as payment methods on the N3 toll route.

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