The residents of Shakhty have collected about 10,000 signatures against paid travel on the "Don" highway.

Large enterprises and residential buildings have joined the collection of signatures against paid travel on the M-4 "Don" highway in Shakhty, the campaign organizers reported. Residents of Shakhty are concerned about rising costs for work trips to Rostov-on-Don and note that the detour through Novocherkassk will not withstand the load.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", after the introduction of tolls for travel on the reconstructed section of the M-4 "Don" highway, trips for Shakhty residents working in Rostov-on-Don will become extremely expensive, or they will have to use alternative routes, local residents who announced the collection of signatures against the toll believe. By October 25, about two thousand signatures had been collected.

Residents of Shakhty, many of whom travel on the M-4 highway for work and study in Rostov-on-Don, are actively participating in the collection of signatures against the introduction of tolls. Over the past week, thousands of signatures have been collected, said the organizer of the collection, lawyer Elena Anikeeva.

Large organizations in the city and management companies have joined the initiative. "Large city enterprises, various medical and shopping centers have actively joined the process. Representatives of homeowners' associations and management companies come and collect forms with entire residential buildings," she said.

The final count of collected signatures will be conducted by the campaign organizers in the near future. According to Anikeeva, the organizers planned to collect at least 10,000 signatures, and this target "will definitely be reached."

One of the signature collection points operates at the lawyers' association on Shevchenko Street, 76. Due to the influx of people and calls, Anikeeva has been unable to engage in her main work for almost three weeks. According to her, residents of Novocherkassk have approached the campaign organizers with a request to prepare a similar petition.

"They understand that after the introduction of the paid section, all transit traffic will rush along the free alternative two-lane road through Kamennolomni, Persiyanovka, and Novocherkassk itself. This road has a solid line everywhere – if agricultural or military vehicles go there, it will be simply impossible to pass. The proposed cost of travel, about 400 rubles one way and 400 rubles back, will be a catastrophic blow to family budgets, as almost half of Shakhty travels daily to work in Rostov-on-Don. This will also impact the work of appointed lawyers: when going to the Rostov Regional Court, we are obliged to defend citizens for free, and the state does not cover our travel expenses," the lawyer explained.

Lawyers consider the introduction of benefits possible

The activist stated that she doubts the legality of "Avtodor"'s actions: the major repairs of this section were completed only in 2022, and the road was in good condition, she explained. In her opinion, a third lane was simply added to the finished road, and the entire passage was made paid.

Statements that the law does not allow for benefits for local residents were called a deception by the lawyer. She reminded that in the Krasnodar region, three districts united and wrote a petition, after which "Avtodor" reduced their travel cost to 10 rubles. In the Samara rural settlement, according to her, residents achieved a rate of 50 kopecks.

Federal laws do not require the introduction of benefits for residents of adjacent settlements; the decision remains with the state company and the region, explained lawyer Nikita Taranishchenko. According to him, law No. 257-FZ on highways exempts only special services, mail, and school buses from tolls. Nevertheless, examples from the Samara rural settlement and the Krasnodar region show that the mechanism for special tariffs is feasible, he added.

The lawyer emphasized that the law does not establish a minimum number of signatures for considering a petition. "The law 'On the Procedure for Considering Citizens' Appeals' obliges the authorities to respond within 30 days regardless of the number of signatures. However, collecting 10,000 signatures elevates the issue to a serious social risk status. For maximum effect, activists should also appeal to the FAS and the prosecutor's office to check for the existence of a full-fledged free alternative route," Taranishchenko summarized.

Cost calculations and detour possibilities

According to Anikeeva, the proposed cost of travel will be about 400 rubles one way. She called this a "catastrophic blow" to family budgets: almost half of Shakhty residents, by her estimate, travel daily to work in Rostov-on-Don. Paid travel will also impact appointed lawyers, as the state does not reimburse their travel expenses to the Rostov Regional Court, she added.

Charging fees on the federal highway is unlawful, believes Shakhty resident Marina. "The reconstruction is being carried out by 'Avtodor' at the expense of the budget, that is, with our taxes. The M-4 itself was originally built with public funds; we pay transport tax annually, and about 60% of excise taxes and taxes are included in every liter of fuel. Road workers build infrastructure at the expense of the state and then want to profit from it. If you want to build a toll road – build it from scratch at your own expense; the existing federal highway should remain free," she told "Caucasian Knot."

The detour through Novocherkassk will not solve the problem, the woman is convinced. "We already had an example when the bridge at the Ayutin post was dismantled: the entire flow from the M-4 rushed through the village of Frunze and Mayakovsky Street in Shakhty, causing us to be unable to leave our alley for an hour. If all traffic goes to the detour, not only Novocherkassk will be stuck, but also the exit for military personnel, and emergency services – ambulances and firefighters – simply will not be able to reach people. Daily travel expenses to Rostov at the proposed rates will become unbearable," she explained.

Alexey travels to work in Rostov-on-Don five days a week. According to his calculations, the toll for travel, even without considering fuel expenses, will consume "almost a third" of his income.

"Almost half of Shakhty works or studies in Rostov because there are few decent jobs and salaries in the city itself. If travel becomes paid and the rate is about 400 rubles one way, then in a month, just for road payment, one will have to spend more than 16,000 rubles, not counting fuel. With average salaries in the region, this is a colossal amount that will call into question the very sense of commuting to the regional center," Alexey said.

The free detour through Kamennolomni and Novocherkassk, according to him, represents a narrow two-lane road with traffic lights and potholes. "If thousands of cars from Shakhty and transit traffic rush there, the road will instantly turn into one big solid traffic jam. Travel time to Rostov will increase from 40-50 minutes to over two hours one way. Spending four to five hours daily just on the road is unrealistic; people will face the choice of working at a loss or quitting," the man asserts.

Sergey, who works in freight transportation, expects an increase in the prices of goods and logistics. "The federal M-4 highway is the main artery of the region, and we use it constantly. The paid section will not only hit personal car trips but will also drive up prices for everything. Freight transport and taxis will include these 400-800 rubles in the cost of each trip and delivery, ultimately raising the prices of products in stores, building materials, and any services. For those who travel to Rostov for business, to hospitals, or to relatives several times a week, additional expenses of 5-10 thousand rubles a month will become a critical gap in the family budget," he told "Caucasian Knot."

The alternative route through the Cossack capital will lead, according to Sergey, to the rapid destruction of the local road network. "Novocherkassk and the suburban settlements of Persiyanovka and Kamennolomni simply will not withstand such a load. Even now, due to the detouring cars, the asphalt is coming off. If the entire flow from the M-4 rushes there, the two-lane highway will turn into a solid pit, and movement will be blocked by any accident or slowly moving agricultural machinery because there is nowhere to inspect due to the solid line. The authorities are effectively forcing us to either pay for what has already been built with our money or to ruin our cars in hours-long traffic jams," complains a Shakhty resident.

A student Olga studies at one of the Rostov universities. She complained that the introduction of tolls will make studying and working in Rostov-on-Don inaccessible for young people.

"Students and young specialists who are just starting to work in Rostov will find themselves in the most vulnerable position. We travel to study and hitchhike daily. If commercial travel on the M-4 costs 800 rubles a day round trip, then monthly expenses will exceed 15-18 thousand rubles. For a student or a starting worker, this is an unbearable amount that completely negates the financial feasibility of trips. We will either have to quit our jobs or look for housing in Rostov, which with current rental prices is also an impossible task," she told "Caucasian Knot."

Olga emphasized that detour routes cannot be considered a full-fledged alternative to the federal highway.

"The detour through Novocherkassk and the village of Frunze is absolutely not designed for such traffic: the road there is narrow, goes straight through residential areas and crossings, where traffic jams constantly form. It is physically impossible to get to study in more than two hours one way. The authorities must understand that Shakhty and Rostov are closely connected, and blocking the only normal road with paid checkpoints means cutting the city off from the regional center and driving residents into poverty," summarized the Shakhty resident.

Toll travel will cut access to medical care

The paid travel will affect not only Shakhty – residents of Krasny Sulin, Gukovo, Novoshakhtinsk, Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Likhovsky settlement, and other settlements will also suffer from its introduction, said a Don activist who wished to remain anonymous.

"First of all, it concerns the accessibility of medical care: maternity wards have closed in Gukovo, Zverevo, Krasny Sulin, and Novoshakhtinsk. Although the nearest maternity hospital is in Shakhty, many women prefer to go to Rostov-on-Don. In addition, small towns have a serious problem with narrow specialists – people often have to travel to the regional center for examinations, consultations, including referrals from doctors themselves, as well as for disability registration. And often, one trip is not enough," the activist said.

The proposed tariffs are unaffordable for the local population, and the detour roads on alternative routes are not designed for additional traffic, he emphasized.

"If the cost of travel really reaches 1000 rubles one way, then even with the proposed 60% discount, one will have to pay 400 rubles; round trip – already 800 rubles. For residents of small towns with their salary and pension levels, this is significant money. One should not forget about those who travel daily to the regional center for work. Of course, there is rail transport, but the train is not convenient for everyone, and there is no direct rail connection from Novoshakhtinsk to Rostov. The alternative road from Novoshakhtinsk is narrow enough and is already overloaded. If additional traffic heads there, we risk getting serious traffic jams. Before making such a decision, it is necessary to carefully assess its social consequences," the activist summarized.