According to INSEE, this accelerated to 1.6% on average in 2021, driven by soaring energy and manufactured product prices. In December, consumer prices had even increased by 2.8% over one year. Therefore, is it surprising to see an overall increase in motorway prices of around 2% on Tuesday? No, because inflation is the main component.
Highly profitable companies
To determine the level of tariff revision granted each 1er February to motorway companies, two main parameters are studied: first inflation, with an annual increase in tolls which cannot be less than 70% of the rate adopted. Then the “additional investments” made by the concessionaires are taken into account, which generally corresponds to network maintenance work.
In February 2021, this clever calculation had led to a modest increase in tariffs of 0.44%. Inflation had only been 0.5% in 2020, a year marked by confinements and other restrictions linked to the Covid-19 epidemic. On the highways, traffic had fallen, as had company turnover (8.9 billion euros, -17.5% compared to 2019), according to the Transport Regulatory Authority. At the same time, their profits had fallen by 30%, but still at a high level (4.2 billion euros), fueling the image of companies that are often more profitable than they should be, to the detriment of users.
This year, in a context of high inflation, motorway companies were therefore expected at the turn. Number one in the region, Vinci Autoroutes (A10, A837, A89, A62, A64, A63) got the message. Its prices are increasing by 2% but in order to “preserve the purchasing power of motorists”, the company has announced a freeze on toll rates on the majority of short routes on its network, in particular on Bayonne-Biarritz and Bordeaux-Langon . At A’Lienor (A65), the increase is 3.3%, and 3.4% for Atlandes (A63). In accordance with a provision instituted in 2019 following the movement of yellow vests, each of these companies offers a preferential rate (-30 to -50%) for users making at least ten round trips in the month on the same route.
Bordeaux-Pau in the lead
In this 1er February, price increases for a light vehicle are very disparate in the South-West (see table below). Thus, a Bordeaux-Poitiers via the A10 will not cost more in 2022 than in 2021 (20 euros) while it will be necessary to pay 4.1% more for a Pau-Toulouse (A64), the strongest increase observed In the region. Among the most notable increases, several are on the A65: the Mont-de-Marsan-Garlin route increases by 3.3% (20 cents) and the Langon-Pau by 3.1% (80 cents).
Bordeaux-Rochefort, on the A837, is not left out, with +3.7% (60 cents), just like, on the A63, Bordeaux-Bayonne (+2.6%, 30 cents) , but also, on the A62, Agen-Toulouse (+3.7%, 40 cents) and Bordeaux-Agen (+2.8%, 30 cents). On the other hand, from the Gironde capital, the increase is moderate to go to Paris (+1.8%, 1 euro), Périgueux (+0.9%, 10 cents) or La Rochelle (+1, 8%, 30 cents). To see more clearly, we have calculated how many kilometers a motorist can cover for one euro: on average, he covers 7 kilometers on the A65, 8 on the A837, 10 on the A10 and the A89, 11 on the A62, 12 on the A64 and up to 13 on the A63!