Motorway toll gantries were 'a huge mistake'

Toll gantries on Portugal’s motorways was "a mistake," admits the Estradas de Portugal president

On a national network where motorists happily were using Via Verde to pay tolls, putting up gantries on motorways was "an error."

This long overdue admission came from Antonio Ramalho, the new president of Estradas de Portugal /Refer who said he now has a "huge concern in finding a new model," but of course is in "no hurry."

When asked about the cost of toll systems on motorways, Ramalho admitted that the gantry system had been an expensive error.

"Portugal was proud 10 years ago to have the best toll system in the world, Via Verde, referred to as a major innovation. The toll system using gantries is not a green model and is destructive from a marketing point of view," said Ramalho.

The Estradad de Portugal president was quizzed by journalists about the cost of tolls on the A25 linking Aveiro to Vilar Formoso but his comments are equally relavent to the Via do Infante motorway across the Algarve.

The charging model where payments can be made only after two or three days is "inconsistent" with the Via Verde model which lets drivers know the cost of their journey when it is completed.

"It is not good to continue like this," insisted António Ramalho, adding that "from the marketing point of view it is destructive because I could introduce a commercial discount policy but this is not feasible with the gantry system."

Ramalho says he is keen to find a new charging system but asked for time to think as he does not want to be rushed into choosing the wrong model.

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