Legal Highway Robbery in Poland

[Cattwg]

I have just seen this warning on the Motorhomefacts website. If you have a vehicle over 3.5 ton and intend going to Poland you should read this post from Don Madge.

 

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-142032-highway-robbery-in-poland.html

 

Cattwg :-D

[hughman]

Same in Austria, on motorways anyway - 'Go Box' over 3.5 tonnes. It cost us E300 this Easter to cross Austria and return. They have a similar system in Slovakia as well, which also applies on some non-motorway roads.

 

We've now got something under 3.5 tonnes >:-)

[johnnerontheroad]

A copy

 

I received this from Barry & Margaret Williamson (Magbaz Travels)

 

Highway Robbery in Poland

 

Introduction

 

Brenda and Adrian Wilson are very experienced motorhomers. They have built

their own motorhome; they have motorhomed in Australia; they have flown to

the USA where they bought a motorhome and travelled extensively before

returning with it to Europe. They have toured widely by motorhome in Europe

(we first met them in Greece), and regularly visit Bulgaria where they are

also restoring a small house near the Greek and Turkish borders.

 

Use the Fellow Travellers

feature on our website

to locate their accounts of four motorhome journeys, along with many

photographs of their USA coast-to-coast-and-back epic.

 

In May of this year, returning to the UK from Greece and Turkey, they drove

onto a section of road in Poland that, quite unknowable to them, required a

recently introduced Via Toll Box. What followed was quite literally highway

robbery and a warning to us all.

 

This is their letter of complaint to the Polish Authorities.

 

This episode also answers the question: Do the Poles need more Polish?

 

4th June 2013

 

To whom it may concern

 

APPEAL AGAINST FINE

 

Whilst driving recently on your roads in Poland, we came across a situation

we had never encountered before, even though we have driven all around the

world. Previously in Poland, in September 2011 on the A4 (NW of Legnica down

to Katowice), we did NOT come across any toll gates at all. We were (on

both occasions) driving a 7.5 ton MOTORHOME (CAMPERVAN), which is used for

our own leisure and is NOT an HGV lorry used for business.

 

However, in May 2013, whilst driving on the single carriageway red road

(number 2), having joined it at Sekowo (going west away from Poznan), we

were stopped by Traffic Control, who asked us where our 'Via Toll Box' was.

We did not have one and were then taken to an ATM machine to withdraw cash

for a fine of 3,000 Zloty, but British Citizens CANNOT withdraw more than

£200 (880 Zloty) in any ONE transaction PER DAY. We were subsequently

detained for 3-4 hours before being eventually escorted by a breakdown

service (at a cost to us) to Poznan Vehicle Compound, where we were told to

stay (at more cost PER DAY) until we had withdrawn all the funds. Extra

costs were incurred when we were taken to the Transport Department in order

to produce all our necessary documents. The total amount came to 3,740

Zloty.

 

We believe this system to be most unfair in our situation, because:

 

A) There were no Toll Stations, to pay anyone cash or to take a ticket.

 

B) There was no information on where to purchase a 'Via Toll Box', or on

the weights or prices that apply.

 

C) There was no information on which roads were affected (even the

Transport Dept could not give us a map showing which were the actual roads).

 

D) The VERY small signs on the roadside show a 'ticket' and NOT a 'Via Toll

Box'.

 

E) The forms given to us to sign were NOT in English, so we were unaware of

all the implications.

 

I would like to point out that we had been very careful to avoid the

motorways around Poznan and had driven on yellow roads in a bad condition

all morning. We could not possibly have known that where we joined the

'number 2' road we would be in so much trouble! No one seemed to know the

rules, not even in the petrol stations where we stopped 3 times to enquire,

nor the lorry drivers themselves. Communication was very difficult, due to

the language barrier, but if your own people do not know, how can foreign

visitors be expected to know. This situation is very unwelcoming for those

of us who wish to come and see your country. We ourselves curtailed our

visit, as we had intended to sightsee along the Polish coastline on the

Baltic Sea but decided instead to take the quickest route out of your

country. We would have liked to have all the necessary information, upon

entering Poland at the borders.

 

We feel the fine was an extortionate amount, especially for a private

vehicle. It wasn't as if we were trying to get away with anything; simply

that we genuinely did not know what was expected of us. I would like to

point out that the Traffic Control Officers who stopped us were pleasant

enough and did try to be helpful to us but we feel that they could have used

a certain amount of discretion, as we had not travelled very far on that

particular road. They could have escorted us onto a road which was

toll-free.

 

We will not be travelling again in Poland, either now or in the future! A

letter will also be sent to our Member of the European Parliament (MEP).

 

A Very Angry and Disappointed Visitor.

 

Our Note

 

Their fines and costs came to about £750 at the current exchange rate.

 

All vehicles over a maximum weight of 3.5 tons (including a car plus caravan

which together weigh more than 3.5 tons) must fit and use a Via Toll Box

when using certain roads in Poland.

 

Vehicles under 3.5 tons may fit a Via Toll Box or may choose to pay tolls as

and when they come to a toll booth. These tolls may be a fixed charge or

based on a previously issued ticket.

 

For more information on everything except penalties and fines, see:

http://www.viatoll.pl/en?eprivacy=1