Catalonia to reintroduce tolls on motorways within 2-3 years
Catalan president Salvador Illa admits removing tolls was a mistake and unveils a new plan that will include dual carriageways. Critics denounce double taxation and bailouts.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Catalonia finalises the return of tolls to motorways and dual carriageways within two years
The President of the Generalitat (Catalonia's regional government), Salvador Illa, has admitted it was a mistake to remove most of the tolls on Catalonia's fast roads. As he acknowledged, the regional government is already working on a new plan to reinstate them and extend them to practically all motorways and dual carriageways, with a timeframe of two to three years.
Dual carriageways, the new target: they have never been tolled before
The detail that has not gone unnoticed is that the plan is not limited to traditionally tolled motorways, but extends to dual carriageways that have so far been free. Some analysts point out that this amounts to double taxation: the roads are paid for through taxes and then charged for again through use. The suspicion that the model will benefit private concession holders, with possible bailouts if they fail to meet expectations, hangs over the debate.
Support for tolls: fewer traffic jams and more safety
Not everything is criticism. Some argue that removing tolls sent lorry traffic and congestion on the motorways soaring, and that a moderate toll could restore smooth traffic flow and fund maintenance. This argument clashes with the perception that this is a new tax in disguise.
Illa's plan – which inherits a problem created by the removal of tolls in 2021 – faces a climate of public distrust and the paradox of Catalonia, a pioneer in privately tolled motorways, now backtracking with an even more ambitious model.
The President of the Generalitat (Catalonia's regional government), Salvador Illa, has admitted it was a mistake to remove most of the tolls on Catalonia's fast roads. As he acknowledged, the regional government is already working on a new plan to reinstate them and extend them to practically all motorways and dual carriageways, with a timeframe of two to three years.
Dual carriageways, the new target: they have never been tolled before
The detail that has not gone unnoticed is that the plan is not limited to traditionally tolled motorways, but extends to dual carriageways that have so far been free. Some analysts point out that this amounts to double taxation: the roads are paid for through taxes and then charged for again through use. The suspicion that the model will benefit private concession holders, with possible bailouts if they fail to meet expectations, hangs over the debate.
Support for tolls: fewer traffic jams and more safety
Not everything is criticism. Some argue that removing tolls sent lorry traffic and congestion on the motorways soaring, and that a moderate toll could restore smooth traffic flow and fund maintenance. This argument clashes with the perception that this is a new tax in disguise.
Illa's plan – which inherits a problem created by the removal of tolls in 2021 – faces a climate of public distrust and the paradox of Catalonia, a pioneer in privately tolled motorways, now backtracking with an even more ambitious model.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (21 replies).
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