“Abolition of tolls on former SCUTS? It will be a disaster”, predicts Marques Mendes

The abolition of tolls in the former Scuts could turn out to be “a disaster”, according to an analysis by Luís Marques Mendes this Sunday, in his commentary space on SIC’s “Jornal da Noite”.

“Abolition of tolls on ex-Scuts? It’s going to be a disaster. People need to know that these are State revenues and that with this decision the State will lose 200 million euros in revenue. Which means that the State will have less funding to maintain and maintain these highways”, highlighted the former president of the PSD.

In the opinion of Luís Marques Mendes, “in Spain there was also the abolition of tolls a few years ago and now the State does not have the funds to carry out this conservation”. On the other hand, the commentator criticized the fact that the socialists had not taken this decision in eight years of government: “It is difficult to understand that the PS has been in government for eight years and that it is only now remembering to move forward with this measure”.

On Thursday, parliament generally approved the PS bill to eliminate tolls on the ex-SCUT with votes in favor of the socialists, Chega, BE, PCP, Livre and PAN.

In the votes on this project, PSD and CDS-PP voted against and IL abstained.

After a tense debate and with many exchanges of accusations, the PS initiative to eliminate toll fees on sections and subsections of motorways in the Interior (formerly SCUT) or where there are no alternative routes that allow for use in quality and safety, now moving on to the specialty process.

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.