The implementation of new tolls or encumbrances for the use of highways and road infrastructure has become in recent years a recurring theme, despite the fact that the Executive has denied on different occasions that they will be launched. This Tuesday, the government has taken another step to rule out this option.
The Council of Ministers, at the proposal of the Ministry of Transportation and Sustainable Mobility, has given a green light to a Royal Decree that transposes the European Directive by which the criteria are established to calculate the taxes and bonuses for the use of road infrastructure. This transposition “in no case, implies the implementation of new tolls on the state road network,” says the Ministry headed by Oscar Puente.
Through this royal decree, it is ruled out “any possibility of taking measures aimed at expanding or modifying payment for use on highways, highways or conventional roads,” says the ministry. It also clarifies that the approval of this text does not imply the creation of new tolls, the introduction of a tarification system different from that currently in force or tarify some type of vehicle or the use of new infrastructure.
End the extensions of tolls
In this way, the text approved by the Council of Ministers will not alter the policy of ending the extensions of tolls at the end of their concession and discounts that are being applied since 2018 and that have meant an estimated savings of 1.4 billion euros. According to Transportes, since that year, four out of 10 kilometers of the state highways have become free.
As for what the directive that is transposed, it opens the door to changes in the toll calculation method, as well as the possibility of internalizing the costs of congestion and external ones due to CO2 emissions. However, according to transport, in existing toll highways concessions, no changes will be made, since the environmental criteria are not applied for these. In the case of hypothetical new concessions, in the tender of the contract that these criteria must be established, in accordance with what is established by the Directive, the Ministry clarifies.
In addition, the directive establishes the obligation to eliminate, gradually and with exceptions, the vignette system for heavy vehicles. The top date is 2030 and its elimination for light vehicles is not contemplated, according to transport. In the case of Spain, the impact of the regulation of the vignettes is void, because this tax on our roads is not implanted.
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