ARCHIVED - Spain confirms intention to install tolls on highways
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
The measure for paying for the use of highways in Spain will come into effect in 2024
The Government of Spain has this week reaffirmed its plans to begin charging tolls on the country’s highways, something which the Secretary General of Infrastructure, Sergio Vazquez, has insisted on referring to as “tarificación” (“charging for use”), presumably to take the sting out of the fact that travel for the average road user is about to become even more expensive. The new tolls are set to come into force in 2024.
The move appears to be up for little debate as Spain has already committed to charging for the roads as part of the agreement with Europe to receive recovery funds, but ministers insist that tolls will also help with the maintenance of infrastructure.
Many officials have backed the move, insisting that the money set aside in the 2022 budgets is simply not sufficient; however, political party Podemos has argued that certain exceptions to the tolls should exist: for people on low and medium incomes, and for those who use the roads professionally on a regular basis, so as not to penalise “working people”.
Supporters of the measure have also indicated that charging for the use of the roads would encourage more people to use public transport, something which has tapered off during the pandemic and would benefit Spain’s commitment to sustainable travel in the fight against climate change. While the use of many railway lines has reduced by up to 40% since the onset of Covid, travel on the AP-9 highway now actually exceeds pre-pandemic levels.
While the finer details on the charges have yet to be revealed, the most likely outcome will be a system similar to that of Portugal, whereby control cameras would log licence plate details and drivers would pay around one cent per kilometre.
If this were the case, a trip from the Community of Valencia to Madrid would end up costing around 3.60 euros.
The practice of charging for the use of highways is nothing new, and 24 out of the 27 EU member states currently have some kind of pay-as-you-go system in place.
To be listed on the CAMPOSOL TODAY MAP please call +34 968 018 268.
To be listed on the CONDADO TODAY MAP please call +34 968 018 268.
Guidelines for submitting articles to Camposol Today
Hello, and thank you for choosing CamposolToday.com to publicise your organisation’s info or event.
Camposol Today is a website set up by Murcia Today specifically for residents of the urbanisation in Southwest Murcia, providing news and information on what’s happening in the local area, which is the largest English-speaking expat area in the Region of Murcia.
When submitting text to be included on Camposol Today, please abide by the following guidelines so we can upload your article as swiftly as possible:
Send an email to editor@camposoltoday.com or contact@murciatoday.com
Attach the information in a Word Document or Google Doc
Include all relevant points, including:
Who is the organisation running the event?
Where is it happening?
When?
How much does it cost?
Is it necessary to book beforehand, or can people just show up on the day?
…but try not to exceed 300 words
Also attach a photo to illustrate your article, no more than 100kb