New vehicle category and indexation of toll rates on the A2 section Nowy Tomyśl – Konin

As of 11 September 2023, toll rates will change on the toll sections of the Autostrada Wielkopolska concession motorway Nowy Tomyśl – Konin. This change is related to the persisting inflation pressure and high interest rates, which trigger the motorway maintenance cost increase. The cost of using the A2 section Świecko – Nowy Tomyśl remains unaltered.

The change of toll rates on the 150 km A2 stretch will become effective as of 11 September 2023. Commencing 6:00 a.m. that day, the toll rates for driving each of the three 50 km long sections between Nowy Tomyśl and Konin will be as follows:

• PLN 15 – Cat. 6 (motorcycles) with a 50% discount on the Cat. 1 toll rate,
• PLN 30 – Category 1 (two-axle motor vehicles),
• PLN 47 – Category 2 (two – axle vehicles of which at least one axle is equipped with twin wheels, and two-axle motorcycles and vehicles with trailers),
• PLN 72 – Category 3 (three – axle vehicles and two – axle vehicles of which at least one axle is equipped with twin wheels with trailers)
• PLN 109 – Category 4 (vehicles with more than three axles and vehicles with three axles with trailers),
• PLN 300 – Category 5 (oversize vehicles).

The concession motorway tolls in Poland are subject to the Value Added Tax. The toll rates are inclusive of a 23% Value Added Tax. The cost of using the Autostrada Wielkopolska concession section Świecko – Nowy Tomyśl remains unaltered. Drivers of Category 1 vehicles pay PLN 18 for 106 km of that section.

The Company has kept a 50 percent discount for category 6 (motorcycles) on the A2 Motorway section between Nowy Tomyśl and Konin. In the section Świecko – Nowy Tomyś,l where the toll rates are established by the Ministry of Infrastructure, the toll for motorcycles is the same as for cars.

The toll rates applied on the motorway between Świecko and Konin reflect the actual operating costs and routine maintenance of the road, as well as the repayment of the loans and the cost of works under the multi-year investment and rehabilitation program. Trips on the concession section of the A2 motorway between Świecko and Konin are not subsidized in any way by the Government, with trip costs borne by the drivers actually travelling on the motorway.

According to the preliminary estimates of the Polish Office of Statistics (GUS), inflation in Poland as at August ’23 reached 10.1% year-on-year. The forecasts of the National Bank of Poland envisage the average annual inflation rate in 2023 will remain at a high level, within the range of 11.1% – 12.7%. The presently applied escalation of the toll rates on the concession section between Nowy Tomyśl and Konin is lower than the current inflation rates, as it ranges between 7 % and 9%, depending on the vehicle category.

Despite the growing inflation rates and costs of rehabilitation works, the Company has been timely complying with its obligations under concession and has been implementing the work program without undue delay.

For many years now Autostrada Wielkopolska has been providing travelers with safe trip conditions and highest standard service. This means, in particular:

• Exquisite maintenance of pavement and safe journey conditions,
• 24/7 assistance in the event of a breakdown or an incident,
• Hotline and other communication channels for drivers,
• Clean and safe Rest and Service Areas,
• Availability of gas stations, including restaurants,
• High standards of environmental protection and maintenance of the infrastructure enabling free game migration.

Autostrada Wielkopolska continues pavement rehabilitation in the 50 km section between Nowy Tomyśl and Poznań. The works will be completed as scheduled, this autumn. The completed works include, among others, pavement on the interchanges in Nowy Tomyśl, Buk and at Poznań Zachód which connects the A2 with S5 and S11 Expressways. On top of that, the Company is rehabilitating engineering structures (bridges and overbridges) and is developing environment-friendly solutions such as replacement of lighting for more ecological systems or expanding the charging stations network. Planning and preparations are also underway for another broadening of the Poznań bypass to include 3 lanes in the Poznań Krzesiny – Poznań Wschód section.

All projects developed by Autostrada Wielkopolska are aimed at providing quality road infrastructure, drivers’ safety and traveling comfort.

The entire concession section of the A2 Motorway between Nowy Tomyśl and Konin is maintained by Autostrada Wielkopolska. This means that the taxpayers bear no burden on account of the motorway operation and maintenance costs. It is the drivers actually availing themselves of the service that pay for their own trips. The average daily traffic in the Nowy Tomyśl – Konin section is about 30,000 vehicles. In the neighborhood of Poznań, between the outer interchanges of the Poznań Bypass, traffic exceeds 90,000 vehicles, and on some days even 110,000 vehicles a day. It must be noted that this section of the motorway is toll-free for the users.

Autostrada Wielkopolska and Autostrada Wielkopolska II are international concession companies responsible for the construction and operation of a 255 km stretch of A2 motorway from Świecko to Konin which is the biggest PPP project in this part of Europe. Projects pursued by both concession companies have been timely completed within the initial budgets agreed with the public party and lenders, with no EU subsidies involved nor any financing from the Polish State Treasury.