ForBuilder.com

Name:
ÁLLAMI AUTÓPÁLYA KEZELŐ

Address:
Váci út 45. B
H-1380
Budapest
Hungary

Phone:
+ 36-1-436-8200

E-mail:
ugyf@autopalya.hu

WWW:
www.aak.hu

Company management:
Antal Pálfay | CEO

The State Motorway Management (SMM) has two basic tasks. On the one hand is the operation and maintenance of the state highways, on the other hand is the sale of rights to use and control of the entire toll road system in Hungary. „Since the paper-based sticker does not exist, rights are granted for plates which are checked regularly by automated control equipment. SMM is responsible to collect road tolls not only on state owned and operated motorways, but on the private motorways as well,“ pointed out Mr Pálfay.

Safety on roads
Under normal circumstances, the maintenance of motorways is a daily routine, the surface of the lanes needs some restructuring time by time. The company founded in 2000, had received all resources needed for road sustenance until 2008, but from 2009 the crisis had its effect, so they could not fully raise necessary resources for maintenance. In 2010, apart from the lack of money caused by the economic downturn, a lot of natural disasters (floods, rainfall, etc.), which destroyed bridges and covers over a number of places, made the company's job even more difficult.

This year, the government allocated HUF 4.4 billion is available in full for the company. This sum will be given to the maintenance of the motorway network. In addition, a further HUF 2 billion would still be necessary to restore the natural damage to the motorway network.

Operation of the state highways are based on two pillars: security and culture in transport. State Motorway Management Ltd. emphasizes both. The highway safety depends on the quality of roads and transport culture. "Eastern European traffic culture is also present in Hungary, with large transit traffic, so the highway traffic safety situation cannot be compared to western standard, although the development of highways practically corresponds to those standards. Our company does not wait for the appearance of road safety statistics, but our dedicated professionals also meet once a week and on the basis of the previous week's accidents they decide on a variety of preventive measures. The company is trying to develop so-called 'forgiving environment' alongside roads, which means that the roadside equipments, such as columns, lamps or plates should be protected by barriers and energy-absorbing elements which are constantly updated,” - Mr Pálfay summarized.

The company is also responsible for ensuring the aesthetic and clean rest stops, endeavouring to achieve the convenience of travelling for people, and last but not least, the environmental standards and the care for the environment. Operation of the highways has its impact on the environmen in air quality, surface water and groundwater quality, noise and the appearance of various wastes. However, the wildlife is affected mostly by construction sites of the motorways.

Need for speed
Speed control is another important part of the pillars of the safe operation of highways, which was jointly carried out by the police and the State Motorway Management. On many locations automatic radar equipments had been installed, which led to significant decrease of the average speed on motorways. The company also plans further installation of radars, which will be operated in accordance with the police.

„Our company has a high expectation of a drop in average speed on the motorways. The traffic culture should be based on a travel speed what we can control. If travel speed is lower, it will definitely improve the traffic situation. There are typical highway accidents, such as tailgating inadvertently. To try to avoid these kinds of accidents we made follow-up distance signs and we alert drivers on electronic message boards to call their attention to the importance of compliance with keeping the distance. The motorway's hard shoulder is another permanent type of risk for motorists. It is highly dangerous to stop or to park there, or to stay in the car, every year nearly every fifth accident is happening in the hard shoulder zone of the motorway. To evade these accidents SMM put large outdoor advertisements and through electronic message boards attempts to draw more attention," pointed out Mr Pálfay.

"SMM is working hard on accident rescue service; we operate a motor ambulance service, which greatly improved efficiency in life-saving. We also cooperate with the helicopter ambulance service but most important is working closely with the police. Previously, motorways managed by the State Motorway Management were supervised by high-speed sections of highway police, but they were replaced by county police stations. Currently, all of our Highway Engineering Sections have a police division, which is very effective in maintaining traffic security and fighting against crime on motorways. In order to increase their presence, at times, we also provide financial support to police officers above all, mostly in the summer season and at priority sections, such as the Balaton-Budapest route,” said Mr Pálfay.

Privatization or public property?
"State Motorway Management's future is depending on the actual government's strategy.  Whether they make it a well-functioning company and sell it or their strategy is to manage and maintain state-owned firms. The previous government voted for the former, while the present government voted for the latter solution. So the previous desire of sale no longer exists. It is however important to note that the company has been prepared up for sale since 2005. The company is now ready for an IPO or to issue bonds. SMM thus meets the expectations in efficiency and in corporate culture, which are necessary for companies listing. This is significant in the sense that it is not a sleepy, slow-motioned public company, but a company whose organization, efficiency and corporate culture is more competitive and business like”,  summarized the Deputy Chief Executive Officer.

The toll system
On the toll road sections the eligibility checks are carried out by 180 people. Apart from the stationary cameras, a further 26 mobile cameras are working in the audit. The backbone of the highway sticker distribution is the petrol station network, but the State Motorway Management has its own sales sites as well. These sites have an electronic database where it is possible to check whether the driver has a highway sticker. If he does not then he may be taken to court.

The toll revenue, which reaches about HUF 50 billion every year, and all the toll income goes to the so-called Road-Fund. The company operates the toll fee collection system for HUF three billion. The company's current year's average employee number is 982, which has not changed in the last 6-8 years, but instead the company has significantly increased efficiency, since the managed road network has doubled, and while the controlling tasks were significantly increased.

In recent years, the economic impact of the crisis touched State Motorway Management's earnings, there was a 10% decline in heavy traffic, and a 5% drop on traffic in general. But in 2010, some promising signs were already shown, and an upturn also started in traffic and revenue as well.

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