Jump to content

New toll for trucks in Belgium from April 2016 onwards


Recommended Posts

As above, and this is also valid for oldtimer trucks from abroad, Belgium truck owners with an oldtimer registration are exempt.

 

This is for all trucks above 3,5 tons, worst thing, you have to hire a special box, an OBU, on board unit, that is a sort of a GPS, that records and sends out where you're driving etc. this is coupled to your credit card, and automaticly charges for what mileage you're doing! (15-30 eurocents a kilometer), failing to do so get's you a 1000 euro fine!

 

Not a good thing! don't think they'll have a 6volts version, as all modern trucks are 24 volts.

 

Please check it out before traveling guys!

 

here a link in English I could find, nothing about foreign oldtimer lorries though:

 

http://www.viapass.be/en/about-viapass/viapass-for-hgvs/

 

Cheers,

 

Lex

Edited by welbike
addtn.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

got this of the interweb oh and its a 135 euro deposit

 

Meanwhile: a contract to build a nationwide electronic truck toll system was signed in Brussels on 28 July. A consortium majority owned by Germany’s Deutsche Telekom – Satellic – will install the infrastructure over the next eighteen months. The tolls will apply to all trucks 3.5t – replacing the current 12t+ Eurovignette system – initially on major routes with the option to expand. To start with the On-Board Units (OBU) will be picked up or dropped off when entering or leaving Belgium but will eventually be interoperable with those from other countries. The charges are still to be set. See more at www.viapass.be

 

its just a way to divert you to holland or france

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, the real reason behind the Galileo satellite system rears its head for the first time. Put forwards as simply an alternative to the US GPS, so the Yanks couldn't switch our sat nav service off. Always been suspected that road charging was the prime reason behind it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, just found another snippet of info, foreign owners of old vehicles can ask for exemption, but has to be done beforehand!

 

As usual in Belgium, there's 3 different language zone's so 3 email addresses, how can a ****ed up country like that ever function?? and be the seat of the EU......

 

Flanders:

 

http://belastingen.vlaanderen.be/formulier-niet-belastbaarheid-kilometerheffing

 

Wallons:

 

https://www.exemption.sofico.org/stark-exoneration/fr/

 

Brussels:

 

http://fiscaliteit.brussels/kilometerheffing-voor-vrachtwagens-2016

 

Cheers,

 

Lex

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lex, as I read the statement from the BFOV, applying to any one of the three will ensure that it is noted on the national database.

 

http://www.bfov-fbva.be/nl/politieke-dossiers-lobbying/kilometerheffing-vrachtauto-s-3-5-t-01-12-2015/

 

Residents apply to the local region. Presumably foreigners can choose.

 

It will be a blasted nuisance for anyone loading their truck or armour onto a modern vehicle if it is one that normally doesn't venture into Belgium.

 

For all the EU nonsense, it's actually becoming more complicated to drive abroad. They shouldn't have let in all the the Eastern European piss-bottle chuckers who have spoiled it for everyone, I suppose.

 

By the way, it's based on ANPR cameras on the new motorway gantries. None on other main roads yet but they are intending to. The problem is though that avoiding motorways is not enough as it will be a legal requirement to have the transmitter.

Edited by 79x100
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So - what happens when you roll up to the border in a WW2 or post war military vehicle, get given the device and then you ask "how do I connect it??

 

If it's powered by the cig lighter/aux power socket - no MV in history has one of those. Some have the red/black banana plug sockets but still totally incompatible.

 

WW2 vehicles are 6v so even if you can find a way of connecting it - it still won't work for obvious reasons.

 

Is it just me - or is this, like the proposed EU gun controls - another form of ill thought out legislation pushed through by overpaid idiots unfit for their tasks??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it just me - or is this, like the proposed EU gun controls - another form of ill thought out legislation pushed through by overpaid idiots unfit for their tasks??

 

The EU will most probably take the Belgian government to court for this, as it's a barrier for free trade and possibly an illegal measure. 'EU bashing' makes more sense if you actually know what they do. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ANPR already exists for HGV vehicles (over 3.5 tonnes) on some motorways UK where trucks are monitored for speed and drivers hours.

 

Diana

 

From Brussels / Belgium it will unfold for HGV's - like the petals of a flower , to the other EEC countries (Stage 1) , Stage 2 will be to all cars , (probably limited to manufacturer factory fitted) rather than retro-fit ,,
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The EU will most probably take the Belgian government to court for this, as it's a barrier for free trade and possibly an illegal measure. 'EU bashing' makes more sense if you actually know what they do. :D

 

I would tend to agree with this , my understanding is there are some N (national variations) , this is to protect bridges - that all were supposed to be reinforced on certain class of road for 44 tonne gross before a certain date). The rest of EU - all based on "open borders" Schengen Agreement ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Neil, the legislation is Belgian so it is necessarilly ill-thought-out, knee-jerk and unworkable....but any overseas vehicle which falls under the Belgian 'O' plate rules will not require a box of tricks - you just need to request a once-only exemption before travel. Currently this means over 25 years old (it will become 30 years in line with EU definitions) and use for private and pleasure only.

 

If you haven't requested the exemption and don't have a box and are a goods vehicle over 3.5 tons then you are liable for a fine.

 

As I understand it, the system is the same as Germany uses but with the 3.5 t entry rather than 12 t - The system has been used in Germany for some years now so it is probably not illegal as long as the locals pay it too...but they are (theoretically) rewarded with lower annual road tax.

 

Germany has however brought back the driver's hours log books for goods-carrying vans up to 3.5t which have no tachograph. This is in response to the Eastern European 'Bobby-dodger' technique of letting two drivers run 24/24 in small trucks.

 

Basically the old system worked and seemed fair when each Western European country had a similar proportion of goods vehicles and all used each others roads. Some days the motorway from Aachen across a narrow part of the Netherlands and then on to Antwerp is nose-to-tail Eastern European trucks who buy nothing and contribute nothing while they are here apart from rubbish at the roadsides and furrows up the inside lane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Basically the old system worked and seemed fair when each Western European country had a similar proportion of goods vehicles and all used each others roads. Some days the motorway from Aachen across a narrow part of the Netherlands and then on to Antwerp is nose-to-tail Eastern European trucks who buy nothing and contribute nothing while they are here apart from rubbish at the roadsides and furrows up the inside lane.

 

That sums it up nicely and it's exactly the excuse the Belgians and some German areas use to defend these new taxes. The EU took those German states to court and it's still under review there. Belgium is a typical transit country with most of the roadcargo just passing through, but this has always been the case. Combine that with the poor general condition of the Belgian roads (always 30 years behind) and there really is no objective excuse for this measure. In this case the EU might be your friend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Neil, the legislation is Belgian so it is necessarilly ill-thought-out, knee-jerk and unworkable....but any overseas vehicle which falls under the Belgian 'O' plate rules will not require a box of tricks - you just need to request a once-only exemption before travel. Currently this means over 25 years old (it will become 30 years in line with EU definitions) and use for private and pleasure only.

 

If you haven't requested the exemption and don't have a box and are a goods vehicle over 3.5 tons then you are liable for a fine.

 

As I understand it, the system is the same as Germany uses but with the 3.5 t entry rather than 12 t - The system has been used in Germany for some years now so it is probably not illegal as long as the locals pay it too...but they are (theoretically) rewarded with lower annual road tax.

 

Germany has however brought back the driver's hours log books for goods-carrying vans up to 3.5t which have no tachograph. This is in response to the Eastern European 'Bobby-dodger' technique of letting two drivers run 24/24 in small trucks.

 

Basically the old system worked and seemed fair when each Western European country had a similar proportion of goods vehicles and all used each others roads. Some days the motorway from Aachen across a narrow part of the Netherlands and then on to Antwerp is nose-to-tail Eastern European trucks who buy nothing and contribute nothing while they are here apart from rubbish at the roadsides and furrows up the inside lane.

 

Thanks for the clarification :-)

That makes a lot more sense viewed this way. A pity it did not set that out on the web page - either directly or via a "see here" link to another page.

Would still love to have seen there inspectors trying to work out first how to get into, then how to connect it up to, a Stolly's electrical system :wow:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...