This Thursday, the Assembly of the Republic debates, at the initiative of the PS, the end of tolls on ex-SCUT motorways, proposals with an uncertain outcome since the parties have not “opened the game” in relation to voting directions.
The PS bill – which had been announced by the leader, Pedro Nuno Santos, during the debate on Luís Montenegro’s Government Program at the beginning of April – was joined by those from BE and PCP and also the draft resolutions (without force law) of IL, PSD/CDS-PP, PAN and Chega. With the current geometry of the Assembly of the Republic and with the parties not telling Lusa what the voting direction will be on the different initiatives, the outcome of these votes is still unknown.
For the PS proposal to be approved, Chega must abstain or vote in favor, but the party led by André Ventura did not want to indicate its voting direction.
Chega presented a draft resolution that provides for a gradual plan for exemption from paying tolls, to be implemented within six years. This proposal diverges from the PS bill, which aims to eliminate tolls on former SCUTs from January next year.
Chega also recommends “a 15% reduction in toll rates” this year and 25% “on roads in the interior and Algarve”. The PS proposal aims to end tolls on the A4 – Transmontana and Túnel do Marão, A13 and A13-1 – Pinhal Interior, A22 – Algarve, A23 – Beira Interior, A24 – Interior Norte, A25 – Beiras Litoral and Alta and A28 – Minho on the sections between Esposende and Antas and between Neiva and Darque.
Along the same lines and with only a few differences in the routes covered are the BE and PCP bills. The blockers intend to eliminate tolls for the motorways accessing the interior regions (A22, A23, A24, A25, A28, A29, A41, A42) and the communists want to abolish this payment on the A4, A13, A22, A23, A24, A25, A28, A29, A41 and A42.
The Government parties, PSD and CDS-PP, came together in a draft resolution that recommends the gradual and financially responsible reduction of tolls in the interior and in large metropolitan areas, intending for the executive to present to parliament the costs involved with the adoption of this measure and a study that establishes base values that cover road maintenance costs.
Also without the force of law, the IL recommends that the Government evaluate the cost-benefit of exempting the old SCUT from tolls and the PAN suggests the renegotiation of public-private partnership contracts in the road sector.
