The Via do Infante Users’ Commission, CUVI, fully supports the Left Bloc proposal to fund the Algarve’s motorway from a regional tourist tax.
Whether the proposal is accepted as part of the 2018 State Budget, or not, the Commission continues to appeal to the Government to fulfill the pre-election promises made by the current prime minster, that the region would be rid of the tolls.
For the Users’ Commission, this is a good opportunity "to end once and for all the calamity that has plagued the region for almost six years," - the Via do Infante tolls were introduced on December 8, 2011 by the previous right wing coalition government, with the cheery support of the Socialist Party.
CUVI stated today that in addition to the serious damage that continues to affect the regional economy and mobility in the Algarve, one of the most damaging aspects is the number of road accidents on the ‘alternative’ EN125, which has become "a dangerous urban street with many deadly traps."
The Commission says that the remodeling of the EN125 between Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António has not yet started and the work between Olhão and Vila do Bispo in the western Algarve, leaves much to be desired and has serious technical shortcomings.
In addition to the long tally of accidents, the Commission slammed "the ruinous and obscene PPP contract for the Via do Infante which makes the toll situation even more unbearable."
According to the Technical Unit for Project Monitoring, toll income from the Via do Infante was €14.8 million in the first half of 2017, but this only covered 43.5% of the contracted amount the State has to pay the private concessionaire under the terms of an agreement containing many secret clauses.The Treasury had to pay another €19.2 million to make up the €32 million that the concessionaire was due.
The annual subsidy for the private concession holder is around €40 million, which comes from taxpayers to “fill the pockets of the private sector.”
CUVI, one of the founders being Algarve Left Bloc MP, João Vasconcelos, says that both the opposition, governing party and its left wing support, have been presented with a good opportunity to abolish tolls by including a regional tourist tax in the 2018 State Budget.