From January 1, 2025, Via do Infante (A22) will enter a new era, with the end of electronic tolls that marked more than a decade of controversy in the Algarve. This change should result in the removal of traffic signs indicating toll charges along the highway, a symbolic landmark for the region.
The decision, approved by the Assembly of the Republic, is part of a package of measures that eliminate tolls on several ex-SCUT (free highways for the user) across the country. In the Algarve, Via do Infante is especially significant, crossing the region from Lagos to Castro Marim and functioning as an essential highway for residents and tourists.
The blue signs that warn of electronic toll collection will thus become part of the past, in a change that reflects the end of one of the measures most criticized by gauchos. Since 2011, when tolls were introduced, opposition has been constant, with opponents highlighting the negative impacts on the local economy, tourism and road safety due to increased traffic on the EN125, often called the “road of death”.
With the abolition of tolls, an improvement in mobility and a relief in traffic conditions, especially on secondary roads, are expected. Furthermore, the end of costs for users brings new life to tourism and the regional economy.
The Via do Infante Users Commission (), which led the actions against tolls, has already announced initiatives to celebrate this victory, including a “honk” on the first day of the year. For drivers in the Algarve and visitors, the absence of signs indicating charging will be a reminder that mobility in the region is once again more accessible and safe.
The removal of the signs is not just a physical change to the road landscape, but a historic milestone that symbolizes the beginning of a new phase for the Algarve and its inhabitants.
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