Transport economics

Proposed amendments to Bulgaria's Roads Act are set to introduce higher tolls for polluting vehicles, marking a significant shift in the country's road usage fees. The changes, currently undergoing public consultation, aim to factor in both the EURO emission class and CO2 emission class of vehicles when determining toll rates.

Traffic congestion on Venti Street has now been restored

The concept of "congestion charging," in which vehicles entering areas with heavy traffic are charged a fee, has recently been gaining traction as a potential solution to simultaneously alleviate traffic congestion and mitigate air pollution.

In a bid to address the traffic congestion problem in Istanbul, the municipality is preparing to impose a fee on vehicles entering the busiest areas of the city, as the pilot implementation is set to commence in Eminönü.

Days ahead of the controversial expansion of London's road charging scheme for the most polluting vehicles, businesses in the British capital remain wary despite the mayor unveiling further subsidies.

Authorities have announced a raft of regulations aims at bringing exorbitant prices in the secondhand car market under control.

The price of secondhand cars put up for sale online should not exceed that of new cars, said Trade Minister Ömer Bolat.

Greece's economy is particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in international energy prices due to its high dependence on fossil fuels, and despite the support provided to industry and low-income households, could be severely affected by prices, the European Commission noted this week.

Driving on Slovenian motorways will cost more starting from 15 June after the government confirmed a 6.8% increase in tolls for all vehicles other than lorries. This will be the first toll increase in ten years.

The annual e-vignette for cars will cost €117.50, up from €110 at present. The monthly vignette will go from €30 to €32 and the weekly one from €15 to €16.

Demand has been rising for secondhand cars in a market trying to fend off the tight supply of new vehicles.

Besides the availability problems, what drives the demand is people's expectations that prices will go up in the coming months due to the perceived depreciation of the local currency.

"Bulgargaz" offered BGN 90.10/MWh price of the blue fuel for May. The company specifies that it is 8.21% lower than the one confirmed for April.

BGN 74.59/MWh is the estimated gas price for June. It is 17.21% lower than the one submitted for approval for May, according to Bulgargaz.