Transparency of toll charges key to reform of the system

Never has the toll-charging system been so contentious in China, although the country had 100,000 kilometers of expressways by the end of 2013, the longest in the world. Statistics from the Ministry of Transport released by the end of 2014 show that the deficit of all expressways that charge tolls was 66.1 billion yuan ($10.8 billion) in 2013. Yet many people think it impossible for them not to make a profit.

The ministry revealed last week that the toll-charge system on expressways will be further reformed. But apart from some general content such as the separation between the income and expenditure of toll-charging systems, we know little about how the reform will be carried out.

What we do know is the poor management of the system and the need for greater transparency.