ACL warns of motorway tax dangers

(CS) Luxembourg automobile club ACL has warned that introducing a motorway tax could lead to country roads becoming less safe due to an increase in traffic of motorists trying to avoid highways.

A current discussion in Germany to introduce a motorway vignette, which would require all drivers travelling on the country's motorway network to pay a fee, sparked a debate in the Grand Duchy whether it should think about introducing a similar measure.

Should Germany decide to push ahead with the vignette, Luxembourg could end up being the only country in the Greater Region not to have such a tax, since Belgium is planning to introduce a motorway tax for all motorists in 2016.

However, the ACL has warned against introducing a tax in Luxembourg, since it would divert traffic from the safer motorway network to already busy country roads.

In 2012, seven fatal accidents occurred on Luxembourg's motorway network, while there were seven traffic deaths within towns and 20 on country roads. The ACL fears that this number would increase with more road users.

In a survey conducted in August, 61 percent of ACL members spoke out against the introduction of a vignette, while 31 percent were in favour.