French toll road prices to rise at lowest rate in 20 years - sources
PARIS (Reuters) - Average toll road prices are set to rise 0.37% in 2021, two sources familiar with the matter said, the lowest hike in 20 years as inflation remains weak, and providing a boost to drivers next year if COVID-19 restrictions on movement ease.
Price changes are based on the terms of a contract between motorway operators and the government, and shift according to parameters such as consumer prices.
The French state froze motorway prices in 2015 as a one-off measure, following a dispute with concessions holders over the contracts, but 2021's rise will otherwise be the lowest in two decades.
"In the current context, it's good news. But it's not linked to COVID-19," one of the sources said.
The novel coronavirus pandemic has slammed economies across Europe after governments imposed lockdowns to fight the virus' spread, with the travel industry in particular hit hard by restrictions on people's movements.
In 2020, average motorway prices had risen 0.85% while in 2019 the hike was 1.9%.
Prices are calculated to reflect inflation and investments by private toll road operators to upgrade highways.
(Reporting by Gilles Guillaume, Writing by Sarah White; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
