ASECAP, the European association of operators of toll road infrastructures, has called for greater decarbonisation of the road transport network, noting that toll roads can help to finance an environmental transformation.
In its 2024 sustainability report, Julián Núñez, ASECAP’s president, called for swift action to reduce emissions in road transport, including investment in decarbonisation strategies and charging infrastructure.
Emissions levels
ASECAP members produced 397,160 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2023, which was a 4.75% decrease on the previous year, according to the report.. In addition, the 2022 total of 416,985 tonnes was a 19.1% reduction on the 2021 level.
“This reduction in CO2 emissions indicates that ASECAP members are making significant progress in minimising their carbon footprint from their operations,” Núñez commented. “Continued efforts in these areas will be crucial for maintaining this positive trend and aligning with broader sustainability and climate goals.”
In the report, Núñez highlighted central role of the ‘user pays’ principle in financing decarbonisation efforts.
“ASECAP is convinced that there will be no climate change limitation and mitigation without fast road transport decarbonisation, and that the user-pays principle is the best currently available asset to combine the financing of new investments and the internalisation of the polluter-pays principle,” he commented.
“Toll roads should be seen as one of the solutions for financing the ecological transition of road transport and mobility.”
Supporting the transition
According to Núñez, toll revenues can support the shift to greener infrastructure, accommodate cleaner vehicles, and address sustainable transport needs.
“Financing better, safer and greener road transport and combating climate change will not happen without including tolls in this transition,” he noted. “Indeed, the toll and concession road sectors are willing to build a positive agenda and start implementing key measures to contribute to the decarbonisation of road transport.”
ASECAP also urged policymakers to include road tolls and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the EU’s Taxonomy Regulation. This inclusion would leverage tolls as a direct funding mechanism for environmentally friendly road projects and expedite the transition to carbon-neutral road transport by 2050. Read more here.
