On October 10, at Skolkovo Moscow Management School, the representatives of the State Company Avtodor conducted an expert discussion as to the project for the creation of a unified operator of the Central Ring Road (CRR).
On October 10, at Skolkovo Moscow Management School, the representatives of the State Company Avtodor conducted an expert discussion as to the project for the creation of a unified operator of the Central Ring Road (CRR).
The goals and objectives of the project, its financial performance, organizational and legal scheme of implementation, the mechanisms of interaction with the concessionaires and performers of the CRR were presented as part of the event.
The discussion of the project was attended by the heads of State Company Avtodor, representatives of Russian and foreign investment and construction companies, lending institutions, consultants and experts in the field of public and private partnership projects.
"We are acting according to a precise timetable for the implementation of the project of the Central Ring Road, and we have approached to its major component – management of all four sections. In order to discuss the diverge points that arose in the process of the project preparation, it was necessary to obtain expert opinion. During the discussion of the project, more detailed issues arise related to specific risks. Therefore, during the preparation of tender documentation we will take the opportunity to listen to expert community in order to create the most effective interaction between the concessionaire and the grantor, the operator and the users", – said the Chairman of the State Company Avtodor Sergei Kelbakh.
According to the Deputy Chairman for Investment and Strategic Planning of the State Company Avtodor Alexander Nosov, maximal comfort for a user is the main goal in creating a unified operator of the CRR. "The State Company has a task of synchronizing the actions among all parties concerned, minimizing the risks that arise during the implementation of such global projects as the construction of the CRR. In order to ensure maximal comfort for users, it is necessary to create a unified user charge system, a uniform service standard, as well as introducing a free flow toll collection system to replace the current closed system with toll collection points having boom barriers", – said Alexander Nosov.
In turn, the Managing Director for investment structuring of Avtodor-Invest, LLC Andrey Averin noted that another important goal in creating a unified operator is to ensure the financial sustainability of the CRR project as a whole. According to him, a significant "margin of safety" of the project makes it possible to finance the construction of a user charge system and an automated traffic control system in full with the use of extrabudgetary investment.
As it was explained by the Managing Director on legal structuring of Avtodor-Invest, LLC Denis Patrin, for the purpose of implementing the project on the creation of a unified operator of the CRR, several organizational and legal schemes are being considered, including a concession agreement with the payment of grantor, a long-term operating agreement, as well as corporate public and private partnership. He also noted that, in order to ensure the effectiveness of open toll collection system, certain amendments to the applicable legislation are required, including introduction of penalty for non-payment for travelling on toll roads as well as amendments to the Budget Code, which will allow to preserve the money collected as fines for non-payment of travelling in the road sector.
Following the discussion, the participants of public debates, having analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of open toll collection system, agreed to accept the idea to introduce free flow technology on the CRR. According to the experts, this technology will be the most user-friendly one. Besides, the representatives of expert community discussed the issues related to the distribution of financial risks during the project implementation, travel tariff rates, potential traffic, as well as the operator’s liability to the state and the project profitability increase.
Note:
Creation of a unified operator has been envisaged by the network schedule and plan of activities for the project on the construction of Central Ring Road approved by the Chairman of the Government Dmitry Medvedev on November 5, 2013.
The total length of the CRR will be 529.9 km. The Program of the State Company Avtodor for 2010 through 2020 envisages construction of three start-up facilities (SF No. 3, SF No. 4) and reconstruction of the so-called Zvenigorod Small Moscow Ring (CRR SF No. 5). Thus, express ring road with the length of 339 km will appear on the territory of the Moscow region and Greater Moscow.