Sweden proposes new road tolling model amid expert warnings

The Swedish government is proposing a new model for road construction involving cooperation between private companies and public entities, where drivers pay tolls to use these roads.

Gunnar Lindberg, former director of the Norwegian Institute of Transport Economics, has warned against copying Norway’s current toll system. In a debate article, Lindberg noted that the Norwegian Tax Commission has recently criticized the use of tolls as temporary financing for individual projects. Instead, the commission suggests moving toward kilometer-based taxation and congestion charges—reforms that Norway itself has previously struggled to implement.

In Sweden, the Social Democrats have voiced opposition to the proposal, with traffic policy spokesperson Aylin Nouri stating the party rejects general road fees and the privatization of public roads.