Guangdong sets standard for road tolls

South China's Guangdong province, which contains the largest number of road toll stations in the country and an extensive highway network, will introduce a unified standard for road tolls on Friday.

According to the new standard, drivers will have to pay 0.45 yuan (7 cents) a kilometer when they take vehicles out on highways with four lanes and 0.6 yuan a kilometer on highways with six lanes.

The amounts are at least 10 percent lower than those for current road tolls, which are set by highways investors or operators, according to Zeng Zhaogeng, director of the Guangdong provincial communications department.

The province has been criticized in recent years by many local vehicle owners, drivers, lawmakers and political advisers for imposing expensive road tolls and unreasonably high charges.

"The new unified standard for road tolls is expected to help reduce operation and production costs in Guangdong and play a role in boosting the province's economic development," he said.

Many vehicles owners and drivers welcomed the adoption of a unified standard.

Shen Jinhong, a Guangzhou office worker, said the standard will help many car owners and drivers reduce their traveling costs.

"I'll save at least 200 yuan a month when the new standard is introduced," he said on Thursday.

Shen now lives in Foshan, a city about 20 kilometers away from Guangzhou.

Shen said he has to pay about 400 yuan a month in road tolls to travel between the two cities.

"I will pay only 300 yuan a month in road tolls after the new unified standard is introduced," he said. According to Zeng, Guangdong has dismantled 41 toll stations since the beginning of the year.