The trouble with allowing tolls on roads

The recent passing and pending implementation of the Public Roads Toll Act has turned every road into fair game with regard to making each vehicle pay for every opportunity to use it.

A pronouncement from the Transport Cabinet secretary has the potential to turn any road, a portion of the road, or even a tunnel or a bridge, into a toll collecting zone. Motorists will pay cash for the privilege of being on any toll road.

All monies raised from this venture will reportedly be deposited in the National Road Toll Fund, allegedly to recoup the massive infrastructure costs of road building and maintenance that the current government has undertaken.

Many of these are loans accruing interest in millions of shillings which creates a problem, because the fuel levy is already charged per litre of petrol imported, also adding up to millions of shillings, and it is also supposed to go to road maintenance.

Segregation of road users

There has been no public accounting for these funds, and no explanation as to why they are not enough. Firstly, roads are essential to enable economic activities, enhanced by faster transport between spaces.

If richer people can pay the government directly to avoid traffic by using the Nairobi Expressway, the massive systemic traffic matters affecting the majority will continue to be ignored despite several calls to deal with them.

The second matter is the segregation of road users. The Nairobi Expressway in particular has already banned the use of two-wheeled vehicles, which are used by a large number of road users. The vast majority of recently built roads make no spatial provisions for two-wheeled vehicles, making their interactions with cars and pedestrians actively risky and frequently dangerous.

This amounts to massive discrimination against two-wheeled vehicles and their users, as they are not allowed access to options to reduce risk while doing significant portions of the labour that keeps the city going.

Privatising access to roads

The general public must stop being disrespected in this way. Public service effort and resources should not go into privatising access to roads, which are themselves built on land held and acquired in the public interest and good.

Further, whether people use tolled roads or not, the cost of transport and thus all retail goods will go up, as movement will take longer on non-tolled roads, which will still increase the amount of money being spent on fuel. This will negatively affect an already struggling economy by increasing the cost of living.

Current campaigns are running to appeal to every eligible voter, not just to the few urban dwellers who can pay exorbitant road toll fees.

It is thus imperative that this outgoing government, and anyone seeking to be part of the next one, immediately demonstrate care for the Kenyan people by refusing roads to be turned into rent-seeking harassment, and exploring other ways to repay infrastructure loans.

The writer is a policy analyst. [email protected]