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UPDATE 1-German truck road toll to start in August 2003

(Adds Bodewig comments on costs, Ages participation)

BERLIN, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Germany will introduce road tolls for trucks from August 2003, a month later than originally intended, the transport ministry said on Friday.

The German Transport Ministry expects to collect 3.4 billion euros ($3.35 billion) in tolls annually from trucks rolling over German highways using a satellite-based toll system.

Transport Minister Kurt Bodewig said at a news conference on Friday the cost of the system would total between 550 million and 600 million euros annually.

The ministry had been intending to introduce the system in July next year, but delays to finalising a deal for development and construction of a toll collection system had put this start date in doubt. The government awarded a contract to a consortium led by Deutsche Telekom and DaimlerChrysler , but rival group Ages complained.

On Friday Klaus Mangold, head of DaimlerChrysler Services said Ages would take part in the project, but that it would make up less than a fifth of the consortium.

"The share will be less than 20 percent," Mangold said.

Ages, which comprises Vodafone and filling station chains Aral and Shell , had lodged a complaint on Thursday at the senior district court in the city of Duesseldorf, but was now likely to withdraw its legal challenge to the original contract award.

The groups are keen to scoop up to 20 percent of the toll revenue which the government has agreed to allow the toll operator over the first 12 years.

Germany is the only large continental European country still not charging for use of its roads. It plans to charge heavy goods trucks 0.15 euro per kilometre for using its highway network.