Backward toll collection in China causes congestion, so tolls suspended

It seems a bit early to us, wishful thinking maybe, but they call it the "Spring Festival" season in China -  the last two days of the Lunar New Year January 25, 26.  Spring festival time is China's major annual time for getting on the road to visit family and friends. And it's a national tradition to go to one's "native" village in the countryside.

So this is the time of the year when the expressways are most heavily trafficked.

Chinese toll expressways in some eight provinces are suspending tolls for the spring holiday season, according to Xinhua newsagency. This is about a quarter of the country (which has some 33 provincial level jurisdictions.) It excludes expressways in the Beijing and Tianjin metro areas

Ostensibly the suspension of tolls is to "speed up traffic" which otherwise would be delayed by toll payment. We suspect it's officials currying favor by doing what's popular.

But it also reflects that China, despite having new toll expressways (most opened in the past 25 years), has old stop-to-pay toll collection technology.

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-01/23/content_14490054.htm

TOLLROADSnews 2012-01-25