More than 66% of the scales, part of the national toll system, are not functioning at the moment. This is clear from an official response of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW) to a parliamentary question asked by MP Bozhidar Bozhanov from “We continue the change - Democratic Bulgaria“.
According to the information provided, only one third of the sensors for dynamic measurement of the weight of trucks are working, while the remaining two thirds are in the process of technical maintenance, reconfiguration or commissioning after a software update. This creates serious doubts about the effectiveness of control over heavy goods traffic and its potential impact on the road infrastructure.
MP Bozhanov commented on the situation with the words: “It is normal to have a certain percentage of non-working components. But it is not normal for two-thirds of the scales to be out of service. Because their role is to monitor overloaded trucks – trucks that destroy the road network and that can kill“.
In addition to the scales, the share of non-working cameras in the system is not small. The response from the MRDPW states that currently 80% of the total of 295 stationary checkpoints on the republican road network are in working order. The remaining 20% are in the process of planned technical maintenance.
The ministry emphasizes that the system is maintained on the basis of remote monitoring and diagnostics, and responds immediately to problems identified through mobile teams. Priority is given to restoring the operation of sensors and cameras on the main road corridors and entry and exit points of the country.
Despite assurances from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, MPs and experts question the level of control over heavy goods traffic in the country, especially given the presence of a significant share of non-working devices. Control over overloaded trucks is a key element for protecting the road infrastructure and reducing the risk of road accidents.