The new increase in toll prices is provoking the public

Toll prices are climbing further up the ladder, with toll owners responding selfishly to people’s needs during rough financial times, offering them poorly cared-for national highways instead.
 
Unfortunately, private companies say the fee increase is lawful, and indeed it is with the government staying away from the “disputed” arguments between the public and the owners, leaving drivers to deal on their own with the financial mess.

New prices which are up by 0.10-0.40 euros, will be in effect from February 1st at all toll stations across Greece, except the Korinthos-Patras highway.

The new pricelist will mostly affect lorries and buses; nevertheless, in many cases private cars will not be exempted.

The Rio-Antirrio bridge toll fees will also increase, this time by 0.30 euros and for private cars only.

Other major arterial roadways with parts of them still under construction are justifying the price increase using the 2007 contract and admitting that they are fully covered law-wise, but at the same time adding that although the fees will go up, works will remain unfinished as the financing has gone down the sink, leaving them with no funds.

At the ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks they believe the work delays are due to the unresolved PSI programme which, if concluded, would allow the funding of public and private works in the country, and thus several of them would finally get finished. Moreover, they said that around March they might be able to have more positive news to add to the existing situation.

Others believe that a new wave of funding national highway works is perceived as a joke since whoever managed to get money in the past must be considered lucky, whereas from now on things look pretty grim and chances for more funds on the table are very slim.