Several users of highway 22 (A22) in the Algarve welcomed this Wednesday the abolition of the payment of toll fees, a measure demanded for around 14 years by the populations of all Algarve municipalities.
The early hours of the first day without tolls on the A22 did not increase road traffic and few motorists joined the call to honk their horns to mark the date.
The abolition of tolls on sections and sub-sections of known highways (at no cost to the user) came into force at 00:00, after around 14 years of struggle by the population against the charge.
This Wednesday, the Lusa report traveled along the A22, the longitudinal road also known as Via do Infante that connects the Algarve municipalities, between Vila Real de Santo António and Lagos, having seen little traffic during the morning.
Signs indicating payment of tolls are still visible at the various access points to the A22, and signs indicating the amount charged for each class of vehicle are still visible in both directions.
However, the audible signal from the automatic charging identifiers is not audible when passing through the gantries, which indicates that they are deactivated.
Some drivers contacted by Lusa in the Silves service area said that “it was not the abolition of tolls” that made them drive on the road on the first day of the new year.
“I regularly travel this route and I believe that the abolition will not have a major impact on the wallet of those who use it sporadically, especially because the value was being reduced year after year”, said Franco Bastos.
For that resident of Portimão, “those who may feel the financial impact are the companies that make long journeys”.
However, he added, “the abolition of tolls is always positive for the wallets of the Portuguese, already burdened by taxes and increases announced for the new year”.
Carlos Paiva, who stopped to refuel in that service area, also celebrated the abolition of tolls, remembering that “the measure was unfair, as the A22 was created to be an alternative to Estrada Nacional 125, and for those who have to travel long routes” .
“Justice has been restored for the people of the Algarve and for companies that travel long distances”, he highlighted.
Lusa also found that there was little response to the appeal made on Tuesday by the civic movement Commission of Users of Via do Infante for motorists to honk their horns at the entrance to the A22 to signal the end of the charge.
The proposal to eliminate toll rates on sections and subsections of interior highways and on roads where there are no alternatives that allow quality and safe use was presented in 2024 by the PS and approved with the favorable votes of the PS, Chega, BE, PCP, Livre and PAN, with IL abstaining and PSD and CDS-PP voting against.
The law was promulgated by the President of the Republic in July 2024.
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