A control point, the 'Betalväg'
(toll road) road sign and sign showing tariffs.
Automatic registration
Vehicles are registered and identified automatically at control
points through a photograph of their number plate being taken. The
flow of traffic is not affected as drivers do not have to stop or
slow down. Payment is made in arrears; there is no need to pay at
the roadside.
Signs
There is a sign displaying the text 'Betalstation' (control
point) at the control point, in addition to a road sign for
'betalväg' (toll road) and a sign displaying the tariffs (see
images above). There is also a digital illuminated sign at the
control point showing the current amount of the congestion tax.
These illuminated signs display the web address of the Swedish
Transport Agency at weekends, on holidays, evenings and at night,
as no congestion tax is charged during these times.
Location of control points
Technology
Laser detectors sense when a vehicle is passing through a
control point. The laser then triggers cameras that take
photographs of the vehicle's number plates, first from the front
and then from the rear. The camera crops the image so that only the
number plate and the area nearest to the plate are shown. The
vehicle's registration number is immediately identified in the
camera using OCR technology (Optical Character
Recognition).
- The vehicle passes a laser detector (B) which
triggers cameras (D) and (A). An
antenna for identification using transponders (no longer used)
(C).
- A camera takes a photograph of the vehicle's front number plate
(D).
- A camera takes a photograph of the vehicle's rear number plate
(A).
Storage of information
Information registered at control points (date, time, control
point, registration number and amount) and the tax decision made
are stored until the tax has been paid and the processing of the
matter completed.
Public information and classified information
A vehicle's tax decision is a public document. However,
information about which control point the vehicle has passed and
the time of the passage is classified. Classified information is
only issued to the owner of the vehicle and may, following a
special request, be sent by post to the population register address
of the vehicle owner.