PUBLIC anger boiled yesterday as Jamaicans reacted to the proposed toll rates for the North-South Link of Highway 2000 which could see motorists paying as high as $7,400 for a round trip between Caymanas in St Catherine and Mammee Bay in St Ann.

“Why are we raping the motorists? It is ridiculous,” said one woman who gave her name as ‘Buffy’ Campbell, and who said she’s a district manager at Wendy’s.

“The fees are not encouraging motorists to use the toll. Did they consult with the Government before proposing these fees? I thought Portmore toll was bad. Are persons aware of what is going on? There goes the $18,000,” she added.

Campbell’s $18,000 reference was to the extra amount of money Jamaicans earning up to $1.5 million per annum are expected to carry home when the new Government fulfils an election promise to remove income tax for workers in that income bracket.

Campbell was among a number of Jamaicans whose views on the matter were canvassed by the

Jamaica Observer on the streets of Kingston yesterday.

“Based on salary freeze, loss of wages, I do believe it is exorbitant, based on the economy. We know that the fees will increase. They built a road that persons cannot afford to drive on,” said Tara Malcolm, a businesswoman.

Rachael Wilson, who also said she was a businesswoman, agreed. “The price is ridiculous,” she said.

That view was shared by Junior Colquhoun, who said he was self-employed. “The fees are too high. The Government must can arrange something better with the toll people. No man, that too high, wi money nuh value nothing! What if a man has to travel twice per day?” he asked.

On Wednesday, the Toll Authority placed a notice in both daily newspapers stating that the proposed rate for Class 3 vehicles, such big buses and trucks travelling the entire 66.14-kilometre stretch of the highway — from Caymanas in St Catherine to Mammee Bay in St Ann or vice versa — is $3,700.

For Class 2 vehicles, such as pickups and large sport utility vehicles, the proposed rate to use the same stretch of road is $2,450, while the proposed rate for Class 1 vehicles, such as motor cars, is $1,220.

Meanwhile, the proposed rates for entry at Caymanas to Linstead, Unity Valley and Lydford are $2,980, $1,980 and $1,000 for Class 3, Class 2 and Class 1 vehicles, respectively.

Jamaicans have been given up to March 21 to make submissions regarding the rates, a window which the Jamaica Association of Transport Owners and Operators (JATOO) believes is too short. The rates could be applied by the end of this month.

Head of JATOO, Louis Barton, told the

Observer that the group will make a special submission to the authorities. The details are to be ironed out on the weekend. “We just consider it sort of exorbitant. I’m not sure what kind of stance we are going to take, [but] we may just have to consider going on the old route,” he stated.

Barton said, despite the touted cut in travel time for motorists, the operators may still not be able to recoup what they spend in toll fees.

“One of the things is that ridership is down. People aren’t travelling as much as, say, two or three years ago. Even if you can make the trip faster – 45 minutes from Spanish Town to Ocho Rios – you wouldn’t be able to get a full load to return to maximise that time,” he explained.

Truckers, too, are concerned. President of the All Island Truckers Association Errol Hutchinson pointed out that the 45-minute travel time does not apply to these types of vehicles, as in fact, it would take the trucks, when they are loaded, a longer time than it would, using the old route, to get to their destinations.

Loaded trucks, he argued, have to ascend hills in low gear, “over four kilometres in some instances… exposing them to break overheating” .

The benefit of the shorter drive time, he said, would only apply to the return trip when the trucks have offloaded.

Don Wehby, CEO of GraceKenndy, one of the island’s major food distributors, said the conglomerate would examine the issue on Monday at a special meeting. “But, on the surface of it, the rates seem exorbitant, especially for the Class 3 vehicles,” he said.

Javon Douglas, a security guard, said: “They need to do better than that; that is too much. Give us more benefits if they are going to tax us like that.”

Rudolph Henry, businessman and minister of religion, agreed. “Too exorbitant,” he said of the proposed rates. “If I put $2,500 worth of gas in my vehicle it can take me to St Ann and back, so why I would pay toll and pay gas? In a world like this I don’t see the masses benefiting from the highway. How does the ordinary man benefit from it? It is not properly built, you have to drive 10 to 15 miles to pick up an exit.”

Businessman Lesburn Dacosta said: “I feel it is murder, a wickedness. Nothing nuh wicked than murder.”

While Damany Davis, a driver, said the proposed rates were “way too high”.

The toll rates are agreed on by the developer, China Harbour Engineering (CHEC), through its Jamaica North South Highway Company (JNSHC) and the National Road Operating and Construction Company (NROCC) within a certain bandwidth. This is set out in the concession agreement between the Jamaican Government and CHEC.

When the developers want to increase or levy toll charges they submit an application to the independent toll regulator, which consults the Ministry of Transport to determine if the rates fall within the preset limits. Thereafter, the proposed rates are published in newspapers, following which the Toll Authority makes a submission to the portfolio minister.

Under the US$600-million agreement with the Chinese developers, the Government makes no returns from the toll and cannot set rates, as this is solely within the purview of CHEC. Therefore, if CHEC insists on implementing the rates, the motoring public either has to live with it, or if CHEC decides to adjust the rates, the Government will be forced to pay CHEC for any resultant shortfall in revenue.

The construction of phase two of Highway 2000 was taken over by CHEC after the previous developers pointed to technical difficulties with the Mount Rosser bypass and quit the project. In June 2012, NROCC signed a second concession agreement with JNSHC to finish the corridor under the Toll Roads Act. CHEC has agreed to build and operate the corridor for 50 years. Woven into the contract is 1,200 acres of lands contiguous with the highway, which CHEC will be allowed to use for its own development projects which are supposed to include three hotels and 600 housing solutions.