High increases and new toll stations!

With the elections over, the tolls have arrived. The contractors will «bombard» the national road network from tonight, setting up two new stations: in Asea, which will be the 3rd one on the «Korinthos-Tripoli-Kalamata» highway, after Spathovouni and Nestani, and in Agia Triada in the Lamia area.

The new toll rates at Peloponnisos, raised from 00,3 to 00,4 p/km, have increased prices even up to to 37,5%!

So, starting tonight, the drivers using Attiki Odos and moving from Athens to Kalamata, will have to stop at 5 toll stations and pay 12 euro instead of 9, which raises the total cost by 33%.

The Asea station was announced before November 7th, at the site of the new Tripoli – Athinaio 12,5- km section, but was postponed for after the elections for obvious reasons.

Based on the contract, the Moreas consortium is allowed to put up two more stations, one of which is anticipated with the delivery of «Lefktro – Paradeisia» 6-km section, due by the end of this year.

Revaluation at Malgara station

The above was preceded by the revaluation at Malgara station, close to Thessaloniki, at 40% last Tuesday (up to 2,80 euro from 2), with which the state hopes to settle old and new «bills» with Aftokinitodromos Aegaiou (the contractor of Kleidi Imathias - Raches Maliakou sector) for not operating the Aeginio station at Pieria.

The Malgara station is under Egnatia Odos AE management now, and the revenue will be divided to indemnify the Aftokinitodromos Aegaiou consortium.

The Nea Odos consortium begins work on the new station close to Thermopylae, due for delivery this summer, burdening drivers with an extra 1,10 Euros for motorbikes, 1,55 Euros for private cars and 4 Euros for large vehicles.

The financial difficulties of Attikat, responsible for the Maliakos developments, have delayed the operation of the new stations for at least two years (these tolls will finance the building of the Axis in Central Greece which will link Lamia with Egnatia via Thessaloniki). Operations in the area have been bogged down these days and Egnatia
Odos has lent a hand to operate the station, otherwise the contractor would have to be indemnified by the state for this delay.

New toll stations in Athens too

Four new toll stations are soon expected by Ionia Odos in the Metamorfosi – Skarfia sector, (Pirna, Kaliftaki, Agios Stefanos and Varibobi).

It seems that Agios Stefanos will be the starting point, and the agreement with the consortium is to operate the heavy vehicle station initially, and for the contractor to undertake the side and local road network construction.

The contractors have been experiencing high anxiety for months now, waiting for the go-ahead from the government to operate the new stations and revaluate the existing ones.

But the recent elections have overturned their plans. Now they have been given the green light but citizens are expected to take action against the new stations, beginning this Sunday with protests at Afidnes area.