Free-pass policy faces New Year migration test

BEIJING - China's policy that exempts cars from road tolls during holiday periods will face an unprecedented test in the Spring Festival travel rush, the world's largest annual migration.

The country's 260 million licensed drivers will be exempt from the highway tolls as they go home to be reunited with their families.

The free-pass policy will see a 70 percent increase in traffic flow during the Spring Festival holiday from Feb 9 to 15, highway authorities estimate.

Vehicles line up to pass a toll station in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, Sept 30, 2012. The flow of traffic on expressways is estimated to increase after the country lifted road tolls for cars using highways during major Chinese holidays. [Photo/Xinhua]

The policy begins at 12 am on Feb 9 and ends at 11 pm on Feb 15.

In early August, the State Council, or the central government, approved a plan to lift road tolls on highways for passenger cars during major Chinese holidays.

Passenger cars with seven seats or fewer and motorcycles will not be charged on toll roads, bridges and tunnels during the Spring Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, Labor Day and National Day, said a notice issued by the State Council on August 2.

In the early 1980s, the Chinese government issued the "building highways with loans" policy to finance highway construction. Tolls have become the major source of revenue for repaying loans.

The free-pass policy has been welcomed by many private car owners as it cuts the cost of their travel.

More than 189 million car owners enjoyed the policy during the National Day holiday from September 30 to October 7, in 2012.

However, many were annoyed after being stuck in traffic jams on highways.