Spanish take up fight against tolls

by PAULO SILVESTRE

A Spanish business group has made a formal complaint to the European Commission in Brussels about the introduction of tolls on the A22 road, Via do Infante.

The Businessman Confederation of Galicia (CEG) believes that the billing system is illegal, that there is little information about the system and says there is lack of devices available for foreigners.

The group also objects to the discount system that is exclusively for Portuguese, which, members claim, does not meet the principle of equality, non-discrimination and freedom of movement between European countries.

Vigo Mayor José García Costas, in a statement to Portuguese news agency Lusa agency, said: “The Portuguese Government has done a very stupid thing with this tolls project on the A22 road.”

And the English- language Spanish newspaper The Reader says: “If you live in Galicia and want to travel to Portugal, be prepared to pay the world’s most expensive toll, which is 77 Euros for a stretch of 76 kilometres of road.”

In response, Portuguese Minister of Public Works António Mendoça said that a system to simplify the forms of payment on the tolls for foreigners entering the country is being developed.

And he added that the system should become operational on the road “as it is the main land border in the south of the country”.

English teacher Paulo Cabrita told the Algarve Resident: “I believe that the complaint made by the Spanish is not about the tolls payment itself but the way the Portuguese state is going to charge the fee. If we have a single currency in both countries, why does the Portuguese Government not give the option of paying the tolls in cash?”

A resident, who asked not to be named, told the Algarve Resident: “It’s amazing how the Spanish send a complaint to the European Commission about this situation and the Portuguese people don’t do anything. We live in a country where people don’t want to stand up against the atrocities of the government fearing reprisals.”

The resident added: “The introduction of tolls on the main road in the Algarve will bring chaos in terms of traffic and the worsening of the regional economy that is already affected by the economic crisis. The government wants to pay for their own mistakes with taxpayers’ money. The poor will become poorer and the rich will be richer. We are heading towards becoming a third world country economy.”

Meanwhile, the A22 users commission, Comissão de Utentes, will hold a general meeting tomorrow (Saturday) at the headquarters of the Loulé Municipal Assembly at Eng. Duarte Pacheco building.

The aim is to discuss the issue of tolls on the Via do Infante and the approval of new actions against their introduction.

Founder of the users commission and coordinator of the Algarve Bloco de Esquerda, left wing political party, João Vasconcelos, told the Algarve Resident: “Once we reach the 10,000 signatures of the petition against the introduction of tolls on the A22 road, we will schedule an appointment with the National Assembly to discuss this issue.”

If you would like to sign the petition please visit the link on the right of this page. And If you have a view on this subject, please email us at saynototolls@theresidentgroup.com

You can also read posted comments from Algarve Resident readers by clicking on “say no to tolls” at the top of the page.