We collected 120 truckloads of litter in 2023 on our track sections across the country.

Last year, 2,473 tonnes of waste accumulated on the 1,237 km of the network we manage.

This includes litter dumped in the bins at rest stops as well as the clean-up of illegal litter dumps and litter collected at the side of the track.

We organise three major litter pick-up programmes in a year, when we clean the entire national network, both within and beyond the guardrails, but our colleagues also pick up litter on the track and in the rest stops every day.

Interestingly, even 73.5 tonnes of tyres were also collected and more than 40 tonnes of rubbish were collected in the aftermath of accidents.

We ask everyone to only put sorted litter in the selective bins and not to bring household waste onto the motorways. It damages the environment and poses serious public health risks. For example, it leads to an increase in insects and rodents, which can spread diseases.

Last year, we also discussed this topic in our driving culture series: https://fb.watch/qDWIq1kCxb/

On an experimental basis, the toilets at the Gerje rest stop of the M4 motorway were given a lasting hygienic surface treatment.

The cleaned, dry surfaces received a durable hygienic coating that prevents the formation of so-called biofilms and the growth of microorganisms, thus reducing the risk of surface soiling and contact contamination. The treatment lasts for a year and cannot be removed with chemicals. The substance is not dangerous to health at all.

We will regularly test the effects of the treatment and if the experiment is successful, we will use the technology in more rest stops.

We are responsible for 167 rest stops across the country, the renewal of which started in August last year and has been ongoing ever since. We will completely renovate the buildings and toilets both from the inside and the outside, and we will also clean up their surroundings.

Almost 500 saplings have already been planted across the country, with ¾ of the stops now collecting waste separately and new furniture being installed in the renewed stops.

The toilets are cleaned four times a day by our staff. Please use the restrooms as intended and leave them in the condition you would like to find them next time.

We have joined forces with the Accident Prevention and HUMDA Hungarian Mobility Development Agency Ltd. to promote unique child-centred educational experiences and road safety.

This exciting collaboration aims to teach children the basics of safe driving in a playful environment from a young age, helping to ensure that future generations will be responsible road users.

Safe roads are the basis for safe transport.

The MKIF Stand is a fun and educational adventure for 3–12 year olds, where children can not only learn about the work of the motorway operation and maintenance centres, road maintenance activities and closures, but also become responsible and conscious little road users thanks to the road safety quiz.

“MKIF Zrt. puts a special emphasis on education. In addition to our ‘BE SAFE’, ‘DRIVING LIKE A PRO’ and ‘LOSING MY MIND’ series, which we launched last year, we also reached out to children, holding career guidance days in several schools and hosting visits by several classes to our operation and maintenance centres. Each time they also received road safety training, because it is important to start their education in time, as they are the drivers of the future. That is why we are very happy about this cooperation, which was made possible in MiniPolis” – said László Szimicsku, Communications Director of MKIF Zrt.

Up to play! We are on track. Together, with you.

We keep receiving many comments on our pages, which show that many people still mistakenly (!) believe that we are the reason why tolls are getting more expensive or sections are becoming subject to toll payment.

Let’s look at the pure facts in 10 points:

• Hungary has around 2,000 km of express roads. We manage 60% of this, but 800 km do not belong to us.
• In addition to the 2,000 km of express roads, there are further 5,300 kilometres that are subject to tolls.
• The toll is determined and collected by the state. The state also decides which roads should be toll roads.
• The toll is not paid to the concession but to the state budget. We have no influence on toll rates.
• Even if the state manages to collect more tolls, we will not get a single forint after it. The amount paid to us is fixed, it was set out in an agreement in 2022.
• Three of the roads that are now toll roads are not managed by us.
• The toll in Hungary is not just the price of the stickers you buy for your car, vehicles heavier than 3.5 tonnes (trucks, lorries, buses, domestic or foreign registered) pay a toll proportional to the amount of road use.
• About 80% of all tolls are paid into the budget by vehicles heavier than 3.5 tonnes.
• Foreigners pay 50-55% of the amount paid by vehicles heavier than 3.5 tonnes.
• The toll paid to us is less than that, which means that the operation, maintenance and development of express roads is paid for by foreign truckers, not by domestic car drivers.

The attached map shows the sections we operate.

We wish you all a safe journey!

Existing operation and maintenance centre

Planned operation and maintenance centre

Existing express road section

Newly built express road section

ITS: intelligent emergency lane

On 15 December, the first year of Hungary’s biggest expressway renovation project came to an end. As much as 43% of the 1,237 km of Hungarian expressway network (538 km) taken over by MKIF Hungarian Concession Infrastructure Development Plc. on 1 September 2022 for operation, maintenance and development will be improved to the same technical level as other roads by 2025.

This year’s works started on 12 April with the demolition of the Letenye border crossing point. In 2023, 19% of the entire main track was renewed during the so-called “levelling up” of the pavements. We replaced 3.6 million square metres of old, broken pavement with new asphalt. Not only the top layer but also the bonding and base layers were replaced where necessary, and in some places even the deeper structural parts had to be repaired. For the tasks carried out, 400 diversions were built across the country.

In the course of the 8-month works, half a million tonnes of asphalt was used for the 9 express roads. 4/5 of the pavement replacements carried out concerned the M7, M3 and M1 motorways. We worked on 2.8 million square metres on these roads alone.

But in addition to the levelling up works, this year we have renewed 106 bridges and flyovers, installed selective waste collection at 140 rest stops, and started to renew the buildings and surroundings of the rest stops. In our tree planting programme, we have already planted nearly 5,000 saplings in 86 locations.

The levelling up will continue next year. In 2024, we plan to renew at least the same share of the roads and motorways we manage in Hungary. The renovation of the rest areas will also continue. And by 2025, we will have repaired drainage systems, including any slope failures, at 50-60 junctions.

Thank you for your patience and understanding also in 2024!

Budapest, 19 December 2023
MKIF Zrt.
Communications Directorate

FASTER, MORE EFFICIENT, SAFER

It turns out more and more often that a vehicle burning in a car fire has some kind of hybrid battery pack. Extinguishing such cars is difficult and time-consuming because it is not enough to extinguish the car itself, the packs need to be cooled, but they are usually protected by a strong metal plate, where the extinguishing agent often cannot penetrate.

These packs can reach temperatures of up to 800–1,000 degrees (!) in a fire and can still be glowing even when the car appears to have been extinguished from the outside. Such incidents can also obstruct traffic, as the extinguishing is not finished and if there is fuel in the car, it could burst at any time.

MKIF Zrt. purchases so-called e-extinguishing lances for safer and faster extinguishing. These devices are able to break through the battery plate and inject the extinguishing agent into the glowing cells.

This can reduce the time needed to extinguish a hybrid/electric car from long hours to as little as 15-20 minutes. And this allows traffic to flow more quickly. In addition, a possible motorway blockage due to extinguishing can be released faster.

We have launched the procurement of 8 such special kits/packages, in consultation with the disaster management authority. The fire stations along the busiest motorways will receive the equipment. The Hungarian Public Road Nonprofit Plc. will also participate in the initiative by purchasing similar equipment. We will hand over the extinguishing lances together with them to the National Directorate General for Disaster Management of the Ministry of Interior.

Video: https://fb.watch/oKW1vAsvzS/

We will continue to renew the rest stops in late November!

We will plant nearly half a thousand trees of 8 species in 86 locations across the country to reduce the negative impact of emissions. Why is this important?

• In a year, an average tree breathes in 12kg of carbon dioxide and emits enough oxygen for a family of four for a year.
• A single tree can chemically clean 20 million cubic metres of air of carbon dioxide during its lifetime. An old tree produces nearly 200 kg of oxygen per year, which exceeds the annual amount a person uses.
• Trees are an essential part of our ecosystem, without which not only our lives but the lives of other species could be at risk.
• Even by planting a single tree, the extinction of an entire bird population can be prevented, which can also affect the insect population of the area.

Hungary’s Christmas tree is already standing in front of the Parliament thanks to the National Directorate General for Disaster Management of the Ministry of Interior

More than 20 metres tall, with a trunk diameter of 80 cm, the 5-tonne pine tree made its 270-kilometre journey from the garden of a family house in Hajdúszoboszló in nine hours and arrived in front of the Parliament from Sunday to Monday morning.

The offerer, Zsuzsa Hegedűsné Agárdi and her husband are very sorry that the tree had to be cut down, but they are happy that it was chosen as the country’s Christmas tree and that it now decorates the Kossuth Square in Budapest.

The Hungarian Defence Forces and MKIF’s traffic cameras recorded the convoy.

With the Christmas period approaching, more and more people are using the motorways.

Please drive more carefully than usual!

Video: https://fb.watch/oAeB_ad-H1/