The local government announced yesterday that the last toll station in downtown Shanghai, which was located at the entrance to Yan'an Elevated Road near Hongqiao International Airport, was shut down at 8pm yesterday.

That means all vehicles leaving the Hongqiao Airport no longer need to pay a 15-yuan (US$1.81) toll.

The toll was first introduced in 1995, and the fee was collected by the Shanghai Yan'an Elevated Road Development Co Ltd.

On May 1, 2000, the city government canceled a 15-yuan toll on vehicles crossing the Nanpu, Yangpu and Xupu bridges, Yan'an Road E. and Dapu Road tunnels to unclog traffic.

Since a similar toll booth was removed from the exit of the Pudong International Airport in 2002, there has been pressure on the government to close the Hongqiao Airport toll booth.

Last year, two lawyers filed a lawsuit against Yan'an Elevated Road Development Co Ltd, demanding it return a 15-yuan toll they were charged.

The Pudong New Area People's Court accepted the case, but no verdict was made so far.

(Shanghai Daily February 1, 2005)