Budapest drivers could face congestion charge by 2010

Road tolls are likely to be introduced in Budapest by 2010 or 2012 as part of a program adopted last year that aims to reduce air pollution in the city, reports radio.hu.

According to the plan, two types of tolls will be imposed: one is a fee to enter downtown Pest from the Danube River crossings, from Margaret Bridge south to Petőfi Bridge; the second would charge for transit in the zone encircled by Hungária Boulevard (Hungária körút) and Grand Boulevard (Nagykörút).

Motorists entering the toll zone would pay Ft 1,000, and a Ft 500 toll would be charged for bridge crossings.

Surveys show that with the imposition of tolls, the ratio of car usage in downtown areas could drop by 40 percent and the annual income from toll collection could be Ft 7 billion (€28.5 million), which is exactly the same amount of money that public transport operator BKV loses each year.

Budapest city hall said the tolls will only be imposed once the M0 ring road and Metro 4 line are finished, and the "Heart of Budapest" program is realized, which would create more pedestrian zones in downtown Budapest.

• Email
• Save to My Caboodle