In this interview, IRF talks with the Diretor of the Public Enterprise “Roads of Serbia” about their plans for improving the quality of services provided to the road users through a series of new projects, rehabilitation and modernisation of the network as well a new toll collection system.
IRF: Mr. Zoran Drobnjak, what is the role Roads of Serbia plays in the country?
PE “Roads of Serbia” is successfully implementing the foreseen activities regarding maintenance, preservation, expropriation, development and management of the state roads and it is ready to achieve even better business results in the upcoming years.
With the modernization of our work we have provided modern management and maintenance of state roads thus increasing the level of traffic safety and upgrading the construction so that the road network of the Republic of Serbia is ready to become integral part of the European road network.
Construction, revitalization and renewal of traffic infrastructure with the implementation of strategic traffic development projects in our country are the precondition for intensified industrial and social development of Serbia.
Modern traffic infrastructure also valorises geostrategic position of Serbia generally and opens the way for our country towards the markets of the Southeast Europe and Asia.
Quality and efficient connection of the Republic of Serbia with the surroundings, primarily with the neighbouring countries, as well as its active role in integrative processes of the Western Balkans, Southeast Europe and the Danube Region are an imperative for us.
IRF: Could you tell us about objectives and priorities RoS has set for the short and long-term?
Based on the defined goals, the priorities set up for the short-term period, necessary to be implement are:
– Completion of the construction and modernization of routes along European corridors and sections of international highways passing through Serbia and /or Corridor X (E-75 and E-80) and E-763 (Belgrade – South Adriatic),
– Section 4, as the construction of the missing section on Corridor X – section of Belgrade bypass from the tunnel “Straževica” to Bubanj Potok, and construction of the second highway lane from Ostružnica bridge to the tunnel ‘Straževica” (Sections 4, 5 and 6);
– Construction of a new corridor and completion of works on corridors and sections on which construction has already begun, such as Route 4 (section Požega-Boljare),
– Route 5 (Pojate – Preljina) or the so-called “Morava Corridor” (a cross-road connecting the two most important corridors in Serbia),
– Route 9 (Novi Sad-Ruma or the so-called “Corridor across Fruška Gora” as well as continuation of the route Ruma-Šabac-Loznica,
– Route 4 (section Belgrade-Vršac (border with Romania)),
– Route 7 (Niš- Pristina),
– Belgrade – Zrenjanin,
– Motorways at the multimodal Corridor East: Corridor X – Požarevac – Majdanpek – Negotin – Bulgarian border (Mokranje), etc.
– Financing through various forms of public-private partnership and concession contracts should also be considered;
– Partial completion of the construction of the bypass around Belgrade (sections Bubanj Potok-Pančevo), Sombor, Zrenjanin, Kikinda, Irig, Kragujevac, Kruševac, Kraljevo, Valjevo, Užice, Niš and Novi Pazar and
– The construction of bypasses around Novi Sad, Vršac, Odžak, Sremski Karlovci, Prokuplje, Golubac, Majdanpek, Bor, Kladovo, Babušnica, Knjaževac and Osečina;
– Rehabilitation, modernization, upgrading and improvement of the existing network of state roads of I and II category;
– Improving the regional approach (high quality infrastructure – highways are planned in a way that will not lead to the outflow of resources from less developed, peripheral areas);
– Construction of technical preconditions for the application of closed toll collection system (construction works on the creation of multilevel junctions/ interchanges, access roads and plateau of toll gates/ramps/lines).
IRF: Tell us about one recent project you have proudly engaged the company in.
The modernization of toll collection system in Serbia is one on which significant actions has already started and further action is foreseen in 2018.
Through the Sector for Toll Collection, the PE Roads of Serbia charges the road users on the following motorway sections:
· Belgrade-Niš, I A Category state road No. 1(Е-75)
· Belgrade-Šid, (border with Croatia), I A Category state road No. 3(Е-70)
· Belgrade-Subotica, (border with Hungary), I A Category state road No. 1(Е-75) (opening sections Sirig-Subotica, 2017-12-05),
· Niš-Preševo, (border with Macedonia) I A Category state road No. 1(Е-75) (opeming new stations Preševo 2016-12-12),
· Ljig-Preljina, I A Category state road No. 2 (Е-763) (opening two new stations Takovo and Preljina, 2017-01-01)
· Niš-Dimitrovgrad, (border with Bulgaria) I A Category state road No. 4 (Е-80) (opening new stations Dimitrovgrad 2018-01-01
On sections of motorways Belgrade-Niš, Belgrade-Šid and Belgrade-Subotica the toll is being collected within closed toll collection system, while on the sections, Niš-Preševo, Ljig-Preljina and Niš -Dimitrovgrad the toll is being collected within open toll collection system. The toll is being collected on motorways in the length of 645 km by automated toll collection system. System covers 47 toll stations. Toll amount is calculated based on distance covered and vehicle class. Vehicles are classified according to their characteristics (i.e. number of axes, height of vehicle at first axis, total height and permissible maximum weight).
Modernization of toll collection system has been successfully implemented, so that out of overall 250 traffic lanes with toll collection and card distribution, 200 (80,0%) of lanes is provided with the system for electronic toll collection. The system is fully harmonized with the EU recommendations and standards for interoperability of electronic toll collection, thus allowing interconnection with huge part of electronic toll collection system installed in other European countries.