MASERU — The Department of Roads says it is increasing toll gate fees with effect from March 1.
The last increment was in 2008.
Drivers with light vehicles passing through the Maseru Bridge toll gate will now pay M30 each, up from the previous M20.
Medium-size vehicles will now be required to pay M60, up from the previous fee of M40.
Those with two to three axle goods and passenger vehicles will now fork out M90 to pass through the toll gate, up from M60.
At manually operated toll gates, light vehicles will from next month be required to pay M30, up from the previous fee of M4.
Those with medium size vehicles will be required to pay M60, up from the previous fee of M8.
However, the executive secretary of the Road Fund, Refiloe Pule, said the control system at manually operated toll gates was not good enough.
“Drivers of trucks were going through the Mafeteng border gate where the toll gate fee was cheaper,” Pule said.
“We decided to make all the fees equal across toll gates because some people were avoiding to pay yet the basic concept of this fee is to maintain roads,” he said.
He said the toll gate fees will be increased by 10 percent every year.
Pule said the lower toll gate fees that were being charged across Lesotho were making it difficult to maintain and repair roads.
He said the government was planning to instal an automated toll gate system across the country.
The toll gate fees collection operations were transferred from the Road Fund to the Lesotho Revenue Authority this month.
