Netizens suggested that the free policy for highway holidays be converted into free quotas, and the official replied

According to the News of the Chinese Government Network on December 31, during the New Year's Day and Spring Festival, everyone is very concerned about travel issues, and netizens from Beijing "Qihui" left a message suggesting that the highway holidays are free from "free during concentrated periods" to "approved quota free", so that each car can enjoy a certain free quota. The Ministry of Transport replied that the reform and adjustment need to be thoroughly studied and demonstrated, scientifically evaluated and analyzed, and considered in conjunction with relevant policies.

Netizens from Beijing "Qihui" left a message saying: Free passage on the highway on holidays is the welfare of the majority of car owners, but the sea of cars and seas, water leakage is a headache, I suggest: from "free during the concentrated period" to "approved quota free". The number of free days of the year is calculated and can be converted into kilometers or amounts to each vehicle that can enjoy free of charge. Assuming that each vehicle can enjoy free passage of 3,000 kilometers or an amount of 2,000 yuan throughout the year, whether it is a holiday or a weekday, whether it is day or night, it is credited to the vehicle's account. Once the approved quota is exhausted, it will begin to enter the state of charging, and change the "great concentration" and "great unification" to a decentralized and free way.

The Ministry of Transport replied: The main purpose of China's introduction and implementation of the policy of exempting small passenger cars from tolls on major holidays is to alleviate the congestion of highway toll stations during major holidays and facilitate public travel. The reason why it was selected as four major holidays such as Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day and National Day is mainly to consider that these four holidays are the most important in the daily life of the public, and the growth of public travel demand and highway traffic is the most obvious. After the implementation of the policy, it has effectively alleviated the congestion problem of highway toll stations during major holidays, improved the efficiency of toll road traffic, and promoted the rapid development of tourism and domestic consumption, and achieved good social results.

However, we have also noticed that in the process of implementation, congestion and slowing down often occur during peak hours in some sections of economically developed areas such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Chengdu-Chongqing. The reason for this is mainly that during major holidays, domestic government agencies, factories and mining enterprises and schools are unified public holidays, and the public can travel intensively with their families, resulting in a rapid increase in road traffic mainly based on passenger cars. In addition, some of the main roads in these areas were built early and have limited traffic capacity, which cannot meet the actual traffic demand during peak hours. Multiple factors superimpose, resulting in congestion slowing down.

To solve these problems, it is necessary to adhere to the system concept, coordinate the optimization of the road network structure, the reconstruction and expansion of key road sections, the adjustment of holiday arrangements, the improvement of traffic policies and other factors, and take multiple measures at the same time and comprehensively implement policies. The current policy of exempting small passenger cars from tolls on major holidays has been implemented for 9 years, and has also achieved certain practical results, coupled with the wide range of aspects and complex situations, its reform and adjustment need to be thoroughly studied and demonstrated, scientifically evaluated and analyzed, and considered in conjunction with relevant policies. In the next step, our ministry will work with relevant departments to supervise and guide all localities, continue to strictly implement the policy of exempting small passenger cars from tolls on major holidays, and at the same time, conduct in-depth research, accelerate the revision of the "Highway Law of the People's Republic of China" and the "Regulations on the Administration of Toll Roads", continuously optimize and improve the toll road management system, improve the level of highway traffic services, and further enhance the people's sense of gain, happiness and security.