The Passos Coelho government commissioned a report into the effects of reducing the price of tolls on formerly free SCUT roads, such as the Algarve’s Via do Infante.
Infraestruturas de Portugal now has released the findings which conclude that a drop in toll prices on certain roads will create an overall increase in toll revenue.
The analysis showed that for the Algarve’s motorway and Beira Interior’s A23, the rise in revenue makes reducing the toll rates a good business decision.
A northern business association reacted to the report, saying that the reduction of tolls on the formerly free Viseu-Chaves A24 will "for sure" attract more users to the route.
The conclusion in the Infraestrutura de Portugal report will cheer the current government which has committed to lowering toll rates on some SCUT roads, which, by how much and when, remains a mystery.
According to the study, the revenue gain from tolls would be especially high on the A23 in Beira Interior and on the Algarve’s A22 ‘Via do Infante.’
With a reduction of just 15%, the roads each would yield €5 million in additional income.
The study also revealed that the formerly free A4 (Oporto) and A28 (North Coast), would give less revenue if toll prices were lowered but an increase in revenue could be expected from the A25 (Beiras Litoral e Alta), the A29 (Silver Coast) and the A24 (North Interior).
There has yet to be a study on the damage the Via do Infante tolls have done to local businesses, to the trade with Spain and the damage done to the EN125 by HGVs using this 'alternative' route.
