This paper has two purposes. Firstly, it presents the organisational framework for the use of private finance to fund road infrastructure in Norway, where tolling of roads has been practised for more than 60 years. Secondly, in recent years the Norwegian economy has stagnated, traffic has stabilised and the real rate of interest has increased tremendously to 7-8%. Several toll schemes have experienced financial difficulties and at least one toll company is bankrupt. In order to shed some light on the reasons behind these difficulties, several schemes are evaluated on the basis of their historical data and planning procedures prior to implementation. The paper will also suggest some policy implications that may be implemented to eradicate some deficiencies.
Abstract