The economic crisis has forced more cars and trucks off Croatian highways in the first six months of this year, data from the Croatian Association of Toll Motorways Concessionaires (HUKA) shows.

The Association said it has registered both a drop in toll fee revenues and a decrease in vehicle traffic, the Croatian daily Vecernji List reports.

Total toll revenues fell by 5.79 per cent compared to the first half of 2009 and now stand at 797.5 million kunas (110 million Euros). Rijeka-Zagreb Motorway (ARZ) registered the biggest drop (10.33 per cent), then Bina Istra (9.75 percent), with Croatian Motorways, Ltd (HAC) in the third place with 4.4 per cent lower revenues than last year.

Most see the drop in vehicle traffic as the primary reason for revenue losses. Five per cent fewer vehicles were registered on Croatia’s highways in the first half of 2010.  An increase in VAT to 23 per cent has also affected the numbers, considering that the tolls have not increased.

ARZ also blames the heavy winter this year which made traffic more difficult.  The economic situation is yet another problem, but the company remains optimistic.

"The good results from the beginning of this tourist season are encouraging," ARZ says, hoping that should the trends continue this year’s results could come close to those in 2009, the Croatian daily Vecernji List writes