KIYV. Sept 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The World Bank is ready to provide funds to equip automatic weighting complexes for transport on Ukrainian roads, director of the department of strategic development of road market and transport at the Infrastructure Ministry Roman Khmil has said.
“Around $20 million of initial investment is required for the project, while the pay-back period is very small,” he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
He said that a total of 200 complexes are required, and judging by experience of other countries, the pay-back period of the complexes would be one year.
“However, then revenues from fines fall sharply and they would hardly cover their functioning as everyone starts sticking to the rules. Nevertheless, the economic effect is UAH 15-20 billion a year, which we lose now in the form of damage caused to roads by those who violate weight requirements. We have to send large funds to repair vehicles after they drive on worn-down roads,” Khmil said.
When asked why the state has not provided funds for these complexes, he said that no one seriously tackled the issue or wanted to take political responsibility for the introduction of unpopular reforms.
He said that financing of the complexes could start from October 2015 when the third credit line from the World Bank could be finally approved.
