Gumleaf
February 28th, 2008, 12:01 AM
Thursday Feb 28 14:52 AEDT
Illegal road tolls in China have been used to con at least $3.5 billion from unsuspecting motorists, state media reports.
More than 150 illegal tollgates across the country had collected $2.2 billion by the end of 2005, state news agency Xinhua reported, citing a survey of toll roads by the National Audit Office.
A further $1.3 billion had been wrongfully taken from motorists by charging them too much for tolls, the report added.
China has used tolls since 1984 to pay for a massive expansion of its highways, but the problem lay with local governments that established tolls on unauthorised roads.
The National Audit Office said there were many other problems with the toll system.
"The NAO criticised the loose management of toll roads, including the cutting or exempting of officials and government departments from fees, transferring operating rights to private enterprises without approval and using toll revenues for purposes other than the repayment of loans," Xinhua said.
Illegal road tolls in China have been used to con at least $3.5 billion from unsuspecting motorists, state media reports.
More than 150 illegal tollgates across the country had collected $2.2 billion by the end of 2005, state news agency Xinhua reported, citing a survey of toll roads by the National Audit Office.
A further $1.3 billion had been wrongfully taken from motorists by charging them too much for tolls, the report added.
China has used tolls since 1984 to pay for a massive expansion of its highways, but the problem lay with local governments that established tolls on unauthorised roads.
The National Audit Office said there were many other problems with the toll system.
"The NAO criticised the loose management of toll roads, including the cutting or exempting of officials and government departments from fees, transferring operating rights to private enterprises without approval and using toll revenues for purposes other than the repayment of loans," Xinhua said.