Reforestation along the Bogotá–Girardot motorway in Colombia.
Operation, services
— In Greece, the Athens–Corinth–Patras motorway concession company – in which VINCI Highways has a 29.9% stake – won six awards at the Mobility Awards 2021, including the prestigious “Motorway of the Year” award. The company was singled out for deploying its kilometre-based payment system associated with the Olympia Pass tag, which calculates the actual distance travelled by vehicles and automatically reimburses any kilometres not travelled. Olympia Odos also received an accolade for its motorway safety initiatives (prevention technologies, user awareness campaigns) and environmental management (installation of LED lighting in 17 tunnels). Furthermore, 87% of users stated they were satisfied with the customer service provided by Gefyra, concession operator of the Rion–Antirion Bridge across the Gulf of Corinth, in particular its new mobile app MyGefyra.
— In Canada, the Regina Bypass, built by VINCI Highways in synergy with VINCI Construction and opened in 2019, won the National Gold Award for Infrastructure from the Canadian Council of Public-Private Partnerships at its National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in P3s. The bypass, comprising 61 km of road, 12 interchanges and 33 bridges and viaducts, contributes to the economic development of the Province of Saskatchewan by providing faster and safer access to the country’s main road corridors.
— In Peru, Lima Expresa, concession operator for the Lima expressway, launched a 220 million sol (€48 million) five-year investment plan to optimise the capacity, traffic flow and safety on this 25 km urban infrastructure integrated into the VINCI Highways network in 2016. In just three years and thanks to effective operational organisation, the new equipment deployed – including 120 cameras installed along the road – and road safety campaigns organised in collaboration with the public authorities, the number of accidents has fallen by 60%. A new partnership with Waze, which informs Lima Expresa’s operations control centre in real time of any incidents reported by users on the app, also contributes to improving road safety. In addition, Lima Expresa commits to social inclusion by supporting several non-profits in the region, including “Take a red card for violence”, which combats gender-based violence.
— In Colombia, the Vía 40 Express concession company also supports communities in the areas served by the Bogotá–Girardot motorway, primarily by organising small producer markets. In 2021, it renewed its support for the Vía Esperanza humanitarian aid programme that has already helped more than 20,000 migrants, mostly refugees fleeing Venezuela by foot on the motorway.
87%
of people using the Rion–Antirion Bridge stated they were satisfied with its customer service.
Environment
— With the rollout of VINCI’s environmental action plan, VINCI Highways has improved its performance on this front.
— VINCI Highways is thus a pioneer in facilitating electric mobility. In Russia, it is the first concession holder to install electric vehicle charging points on a national motorway (the M11 from Moscow to St Petersburg). In Peru, Lima Expresa installed free electric charging points along the road it operates, while also fielding the largest private electric vehicle fleet in the country. Furthermore, the company was awarded Level 3 in the Peru Carbon Footprint certification programme of the Ministry of Environment for having reduced its direct emissions by almost 30% in three years. Lima Expresa also launched the Green Recharge initiative, which allows toll users to automatically benefit from reductions in their subscription charge when they deposit plastic bottles in a recycling robot at the toll plaza.
— Installation of solar power farms on VINCI Highways infrastructure, as is already the case in Jamaica on the Transjamaican Highway, has been extended to the United States. The solar panels installed on the roof of the operations centre of the East End Crossing over the Ohio River connecting Kentucky and Indiana covers 110% of the annual electricity needed to operate the structure. This new equipment is part of a substantial environmental programme, for which a concession refinancing operation involving a $528 million green bond issue was carried out in 2021.
— In Greece, the Athens–Corinth–Patras motorway has been equipped with electric charging points since 2018. In 2021, Olympia Odos launched its “Water from the Air” pilot project, which allows motorists to refresh themselves with drinking water produced from water vapour in the air. The system is equipped with a tank and a compressor powered by solar energy.