Exorbitant hikes in highway and bridge tolls burn citizens: 885 million TL in total

In Turkey, citizens are struggling to exercise their right to transportation due to the high hikes in highway and bridge tolls. The toll rates, which were increased twice in 2024, have significantly raised the amount coming out of citizens' pockets, especially between January and August.

The hikes implemented on January 1 and August 15 applied to many bridges and highways, including the Fatih Sultan Mehmet (FSM) and Çanakkale bridges. With these hikes, the increase rate in tolls reached up to 75 percent in some places. The total fee paid by citizens in the first eight months of 2024 increased by 242.6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 885 million 363 thousand TL.

HIGHEST REVENUE IN MAY

According to Mustafa Bildircin from BirGün, when looking at the monthly revenue distribution, the highest revenue was recorded in May with 160 million 767 thousand TL, while the lowest revenue occurred in March with 37 million 191 thousand TL. This revenue increase was also reflected in the state's central government budget data.

According to the tariffs updated as of August 16, the toll for the Osmangazi Bridge was set at 555 TL, for the Çanakkale Bridge at 585 TL, for the Istanbul-Ankara Anatolian Highway at 187 TL, and for the Istanbul-Izmir Highway at 1 thousand 370 TL.

News Source: 12punto