Christopher Serju, Star Writer

Tomorrow's increase in toll fees is likely to cause a reduction in usage of the roadway as some motorists who use the Portmore leg in St Catherine are already lamenting what has now become an annual tax hike.

"It come too fast," Portmore resident Sheree told THE WEEKEND STAR yesterday. While the rate for her Class 1 vehicle moves from $170 to $180, she is concerned that the accumulated effect of the $10 increase will throw her budget out of whack.

Usually, she travels via the toll road to and from her job from Monday to Friday, while business sometimes takes her into the Corporate Area, again via the toll road. But admitting that she increased the top-up on her card Wednesday to $10,000 from the usual $8,000, Sheree insisted that this is more in the event of emergency travel since she would be using the toll road less.

Take the bus

"I can't afford it anymore. I going take the bus more now," she declared.

Claudia, who usually travels to work via the toll road but returns home by way of Spanish Town Road and the Mandela Highway, says she will continue to use it in the mornings since it allows her to reach work on time. With the longer route likely to put her at risk of being late. She said she doesn't have a choice

For this reason, she is resigned to paying the extra $100 per week.

But for Douglas, whose Class 2 vehicle will see him paying $30 extra for each way - up from $260 to $290, an increase of $300 per week, or at least $1,200 per month - the decision is very easy.

"At $580 a day both ways, that adds up to $2,900 a week, and if you multiply that by four, you talking bout $11,600 fi the month and that nuh gas money. So me will spend that pon fuel and travel the long way round," he declared emphatically.

"Them advertisement say 'No Traffic. No Pothole and No Stress', but a lie that because Wednesday morning it take bout 20 minutes just fi come through the toll. Me nuh know weh so much vehicle come from and me nearly stress out because mi leave me yard early and still reach very late. So it never work out," he said.

New rates

The new rates announced by Highway 2000 will see increases for all classes of vehicles at all its toll facilities.

For Class 1 vehicles using the Vineyards, the fee moves from $330 to $360 - an increase of $30. Class 2 moves from $470 to $520 - an increase of $50, while Class 3 moves from $890 to $990 - an increase of $100 per trip.

For Spanish Town users, Class 1 rate moves from $120 to $130 - a $10 increase; Class 2 goes to $200 up from $180 - an increase of $20; while, Class 3 as of tomorrow, will move from $330 to $360 - a $30 hike.

For Portmore, the $10 increase moves the Class 1 fee from $170 to $180: Class 2 goes to $290 from $260 - a $30 increase, which is the same margin for Class 3, which moves from $520-$550

For May Pen, both Class 1 and Class 2 see a $10 hike from $170 to $180 and $130 to $140, respectively, with Class 3 going up by $30 from $250 to $280.