AP68

Spain is immersed in a campaign to eliminate tolls from our roads. Even though Europe demands the opposite from usthe Government has been eliminating all payment obligations as concession contracts come to an end. so many that Spain will add 1,000 more kilometers to the road network that we maintain with our pockets coming directly from the shadow tolls with which some sections of the first generation highways are maintained. Last year, the Government has already assured that was not going to raise new tolls or raise existing onesdespite the rumors and pressures from Europe (and within Spain) They were going in that direction. The position has been to raise the barriers and that, this year, releases the AP-68 toll. A road on which it will not be necessary to pay… in some sections. And the fact is that payment for use on this road will be maintained in the Basque Country and Navarra. A new free flow toll As pointed out by some local media such as Álava Diarythe AP-68 highway that connects Bilbao with Zaragoza will be toll-free in the Basque section. Although the rates remain the same, they point out that the step should be more attractive because starting in November the rates will be reduced. At the moment, it is stated that the intention is to reduce the toll by 70% for passenger cars and 50% for heavy transport. That is, it would go from a payment of 22 cents/km to a payment of 6 cents/km. Regarding their passage through Navarra, no prices have been defined although it has been made clear that there is an intention for the vehicles to continue paying for use, according to the latest news. The price, however, is not yet defined. But the big news is that Álava will use a system of “free flow toll” which, at least initially, will be combined with the classic barriers. This system is already used on the Basque highway A-636 between Beasain and Bergara from 2022. With it, waiting times are reduced since there are no windows but, if you have only passed on time, you must be very careful not to get a fine. And, as we say, in this case there are no barriers or booths. Here, the driver registers on a website with a license plate number and with each step the current account becomes smaller. Simply, the gantries calculate the kilometers traveled and then add them up to pass the payment. It is similar to a Via-T but, as we say, there are no barriers to stopping. In the case of Álava, as we said, the system will be combined so that those who are regular users will be able to pass without stopping and at the end of the day they will be charged for the corresponding trip. But if you pass punctually, on vacation, for example, you will have to stop at the barrier or have registered in advance. If not, you will face a fine. It remains to be seen how much the penalty is if the driver fails to register and does not pass through the barriers. In the case of the A-636, it is 150 euros, according to the Consolidated Text of the Provincial Highways and Pathways Standard of Gipuzkoa. Of course, as we say, in the case of Alava (at least for now) there will be the possibility of paying the toll at the window. Photo | Vasyatka1 (1) and (2) In Xataka | Spanish roads have a serious maintenance problem and construction companies have a solution: make you pay for it