The Ministry of Public Works and Transport held discussions with the company constructing the expressway from Phnom Penh to Preah Sihanouk province to allow drivers to test the road free of charge before an official toll is set.

While inspecting the progress of its construction on June 21, Minister Sun Chanthol said: “I asked the company to speed up the completion of the road by September, 2022. I asked that people should be allowed to use the road for a week or a month free of charge first to try our Cambodian expressway.”

However, he said it will take another 48 months to complete the road and he will ask the company to set a fee for users of the expressway to be in line with Cambodia’s economic growth.

The expressway could cost drivers $0.10 per kilometre, based on data extrapolated from other countries.

Chanthol said the construction of the expressway, which spans more than 190km, was now 55 per cent complete. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on March 22, 2019.

Stretching from Samrong Krom commune in Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district to Sihanoukville’s Commune III and passing through Kandal, Kampong Speu, Koh Kong and Preah Sihanouk provinces, the expressway will be built at a cost of more than $1.9 billion by China Road and Bridge Co through Cambodian PPSHV Expressway Co Ltd.