A few weeks before departures for the summer holidays, the government is seeking to force the hand of motorway companies to lighten the wallets of the French. “It is important [that they] make a commercial gesture”, estimated Clément Beaune this Wednesday morning on RTL.
And the answer does not wait for this Wednesday, since in the middle of the day, Vinci Autoroutes announced a 20% discount for all motorists with an electronic toll subscription who would pay in holiday vouchers. To benefit from it, it will be enough “to deposit up to 250 euros of holiday vouchers on an electronic toll subscription between June 15 and July 31” so that the sum is supplemented “20% of the amount, paid by Vinci Autoroutes”, has thus specified a spokesperson for Vinci Autoroutes to the Parisian. That is a maximum gain of 50 euros.
Last summer, a 10% discount was granted to motorists paying by holiday voucher. “But it arrived in mid-July, this year it must be done earlier,” said the Minister of Transport. The government requires a rebate of the price of tolls “of at least 10%” as well as a reduction of 40% for regular travellers. “I will receive the motorway companies next week” to determine “the terms” of this measure, added the minister. For the latter, this gesture is essential while tolls have increased by 4.75% this year.
Asked about a possible free tolls in summer, Clément Beaune castigated a “demagogy and lies”, justifying that “the road is financed”. If 40% of the price of tolls arrives in the state coffers, he asks “motorway companies to invest” the remaining 60% “in charging stations or carpooling devices”.
Motorway companies are regularly attacked for their exceptional profitability. A report, drawn up in 2021 but released very recently, from the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) and the inspection service of the Ministry of Ecology pointed out that the networks of Vinci (ASF-Escota) and Eiffage (APRR -Area) had a profitability of 12%, an amount “much higher” than the level “targeted” by the State at the time of the privatization of the motorways in 2006.
The accounts of the Vinci group show this excellent health of French motorway concessions. Vinci Autoroutes, the branch bringing together the French motorways (ASF-Escota and Cofiroute) of the construction and concessions giant, posted operating income of 3.1 billion euros in 2022. An amount which simply represents 46% of the operating result of the group as a whole!
That said, this is the principle of the privatization of motorways. The dealers have paid very substantial sums to the State. The site specializing in public finance Fipeco estimates the sums collected by the State for the ASF, APRR and Sanef at 14.8 billion euros during their total privatizations in 2006, when it had collected 4 billion euros for the opening of their capital between 2002 and 2005. And they are doing an excellent job, since the quality of French motorways is widely recognized.
However, this did not prevent the IGF investigators from calling for a “realignment of the profitability” of the companies. Which could have taken an early fine of concessions or a drastic revision of tariffs. But Bercy does not want to hear about it, because the concessionary companies would undoubtedly bring the case to justice. And the state could well lose. Which has happened in the past. In 2014, Ségolène Royal, then Minister of Ecology, decreed a freeze on motorway prices. Completely illegal. The dealers took the case to court. And got a catch-up, and another 500 million.
The State therefore contents itself with pushing concessionaires to grant rebates to users. What they do anyway. Waiting for the big night of the renegotiation which is coming quickly. The seven main concessions, representing 90% of the concession network, will expire between 2031 and 2037.