Tolls on Tokyo’s Metropolitan Expressway will be increased during next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in a bid to help control the level of traffic, it was announced on Monday.
A total of ¥1,000 yen (£7.75/$9.50/€8.50) will be added to regular tolls from 6am to 10pm in Japan’s capital during the Games, it was decided following a meeting involving Tokyo 2020, the Japanese Government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Buses, taxis, trucks and pre-registered vehicles for the disabled will be exempt from the surcharge.
The International Olympic Committee, who had originally opposed the proposal because of fears it would place an extra burden on the public, have approved the scheme.
During Tokyo 2020, competing athletes, staff and media representatives will use the Metropolitan Expressway to move between venues and other relevant locations by bus or car.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Tokyo 2020 ran a test of other large-scale traffic control procedures on the Japanese capital’s Metropolitan Expressway between July 24 and 26.
This resulted in just a seven per cent reduction in traffic volume from the same days in 2018, well below the target of 30 per cent officials believe is necessary to help make a significant improvement for Tokyo 2020.
Under the current pricing system, middle size vehicles using the Metropolitan Expressway pay a toll of between ¥310 (£2.40/$2.90/€2.65) and ¥1,380 (£10.65/$13/€11.75).
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