TORONTO, (Nov. 26, 2004) — Trucking companies have been all but squeezed off the 407 ETR due to excessive toll rates and the government needs to rethink its toll road policy, the Ontario Trucking Association said before the Ontario Liberal’s public hearings on the highway recently.

Presenting its case, the OTA renewed its call for a Toll-Road Users Protection Act that shields road user’s rights in legislation and establishes the parameters under which the provincial government would create new toll roads.

OTA Manager of Government Relations Doug Switzer called on the Government to think more broadly about it’s toll road policy than it’s current battle with the 407 and put in place a policy framework built on a recognition of the mistakes that were made in the 407 deal and a commitment to avoid repeating them.

While the McGuinty government has since been trying to force the private highway to bring down toll rates since the election last year, it is also considering additional using tolls to pay for the construction of new roads and highways in Ontario, Switzer noted.

The OTA is calling upon the Government to enshrine in Legislation the following principles:

— Significant new highway expansion only: Tolls must only be imposed on new highway projects; or to pay the costs of construction not ongoing maintenance.

— Free alternative routes must exist: A viable non-tolled alternate route must exist for all road users.

— Public-private partnerships: They should be a means of building new infrastructure at no cost to the government, not as a source of additional revenue.

— Miles traveled on toll roads should not be taxed: Road users should receive provincial fuel tax refunds to avoid double taxation.

— Highway users must be heard: All points of view need to be considered when making policy, not just the concerns of government officials, highway builders and financiers.

— All economic impacts must be considered: Unless there are tangible time/congestion savings from new infrastructure, tolls will simply make Ontario exports less competitive.

–Trucks must have access to new roads: The government must ensure private toll road constructors/operators not ban trucks because they think they can maximize their return on investment by designing and operating highways that serve passenger cars exclusively.