Tolls on the A22

[laserblazer]

I went from Lagoa to Lagos today and it looks like 4 toll things are being erected. Two of them are either side of the Autodromo exit. It's not so much the toll as the uncertainty about how they will be paid.

[James Faro]

It will only be a matter of time that the cameras will also be adapted to catch speeding motorists and earn yet more money in fines as well as toll charges.

[EMM]

They all ready are, motorists in the north where this system has been operating for some time have been fined for speeding through the tolls.

[James Faro]

They all ready are, motorists in the north where this system has been operating for some time have been fined for speeding through the tolls.

In that case, irmão mais velho has already arrived in Portugal.

[sunman]

They all ready are, motorists in the north where this system has been operating for some time have been fined for speeding through the tolls.

is this reliable information EMM?

[sam]

I was telling my friend about the confused situation, and wondered who had thought up the scheme. She explained that it was probably thought up by a man in an office who nevers uses motorways, ably assisted by his 3 blind monkeys.

[Bruce Wallis]

This item got me thinking about how often I use the A22?
Answer? To and from the airport to pick up friends and family who are flying in to visit us.

The rest of the time we use the N125 anyway

If there was a standard toll booth like on the A2...that wouldnt bother me, but buying tickets etc from post offices, just in case I use the A22.....I really cant be arsed!

[laserblazer]

Coming back up the M5 this afternoon, I could see as many vehicles in one go as we saw on the complete A22 trip from Lagoa to Faro this morning. If 25% of the traffic moves to the A22, the tolls will have to be substantial for them to make any money from so little traffic. As for the cameras issuing seeding fines, good news I say, especially if the average between sensors.

[Aitch]

There is a sensible article in The Portugal News this week which at last seems to give some answers.

It states tools will be set at 7 cents per km, making the cost to travel from Spain to Lagos €8.97. Transponders to fit on the front of your car will cost €27 euros and all you have to do is keep it in credit. Tourists and foreign registered cars will be able to rent the transponders for €27 plus a minimum credit of €50.

If we are going to be stuck with tolls it all sounds reasonable to me, and at least the price is realistic.

[sam]

Tourists and foreign registered cars will be able to rent the transponders for €27 plus a minimum credit of €50.

If we are going to be stuck with tolls it all sounds reasonable to me, and at least the price is realistic.

I don't think it is so much the tolls - its the ways of paying them that are a problem.
If you are a tourist/foreign registered car how are you going to know about and get the transponders?
I don't want the extra bother of locating, queuing up and paying 77euros for a transponder on arrival, nor do I want the same palaver to return and claim refund on departure.
If I have to pay a toll, fair enough, but I want to pay it and go. Other countries manage to put in unmanned booths that take money and/or credit cards - why is Portugal making it so difficult? Presumably to save the cost of the booths and get more revenue from fines. Rather short sighted, as traffic will divert to other roads. In this case the EN125.

[joeysoap]

so presumably car hire company are going to fit a transponder to each hire car, load it with credit and when you return the car you will pay the amount used. How will you know how much was preloaded before you take charge of the car - will each transponder have a clearly readable balance on view - doubt it. Could wind up like the petrol, open to abuse or misunderstanding. And the hire companies would be quite entitled to an administration charge for the extra work involved, again open to abuse. On a number of occasions in the past year I have simply posted the car keys into a box at the airport and was quite happy to do so (no rep around) but when this new regime is in force would prefer to deal with rep to clear the charges - another casulty of the tolls? And while I am on this rant, on a later visit this year I was planning a few trips ie Tavira one day and Altejur another day. taking the 7c per Km charge into consideration (I personally don't think 7c per Km is that reasonable*)and the price of petrol in Portugal this may not be the brightest thing to do. Easy enough to leave the motorway at Guia to reduce costs but on the return trip the airport don't think I would take the chance.

*Ireland is not particulary renowned for its low charges and costs and there are a number of tolls in place on various motorways. the one I use the most charges €1.90 and this covers a 80km stretch of motorway - much cheaper than 7c per km and the agency responsible for the roads is now taking the operators of this toll booth to court as they claim the €1.90 should have been reduced in January to €1.80 in line with the cost of living changes.

[cereza]

Tourists and foreign registered cars will be able to rent the transponders for €27 plus a minimum credit of €50.

If we are going to be stuck with tolls it all sounds reasonable to me, and at least the price is realistic.

I don't think it is so much the tolls - its the ways of paying them that are a problem.
If you are a tourist/foreign registered car how are you going to know about and get the transponders?
I don't want the extra bother of locating, queuing up and paying 77euros for a transponder on arrival, nor do I want the same palaver to return and claim refund on departure.
If I have to pay a toll, fair enough, but I want to pay it and go. Other countries manage to put in unmanned booths that take money and/or credit cards - why is Portugal making it so difficult? Presumably to save the cost of the booths and get more revenue from fines. Rather short sighted, as traffic will divert to other roads. In this case the EN125.

Fully agree sam - it isn't the money it's the stupid system.
Are the motorways running down from Northern Spain and Portugal going to be using the same transponders or will it be just the A22 and a few other former SCUT roads? If the old toll booths are still going to be in use then I can only see mayhem this summer as people who have no knowledge of the A22 tolls drive down through Spain and Portugal paying tolls on the way at toll booths as usual and then driving on the A22 blissfully unaware of the need for a transponder.
Will there be big signs on the A22 in various languages covering all possible tourist nations explaining how to pay?
What will be the cost of tracing foreign vehicles and then recovering the fines for non payment of tolls?
Tourism may not be affected this summer because the tourists will not know what's coming but if they suffer bad experiences this year then will they return in 2012? - that's the danger

[Michael Crane]

....Tourism may not be affected this summer because the tourists will not know what's coming but if they suffer bad experiences this year then will they return in 2012? - that's the danger

After 12 December it won't matter.

[Aitch]

I am just telling it as I read it, and speaking as a resident here it seems eminently sensible, and similar to tolls and congestion charges experienced in other parts of europe, where let me say it is not all laid out on a plate for visitors. For example, in Norway, I was there for 3 days before I was made aware I was liable for congestion charges in Trondheim, and had to go and make good what was owed.

Furthermore, as a visitor arriving in London, picking up a hire car at the airport, who explains to him the congestion charge, how it works and how to pay it?

I don't know how the rental companies will handle it here, but one thing is for sure, they will take any fines/charges off your credit card, along with a nice little handling charge.

I am not in favour of the charges in any way, but all I am saying is that if The Portugal News is correct, at least they are reasonable, and for the regular user easy to live with.

[Aitch]

Are the motorways running down from Northern Spain and Portugal going to be using the same transponders or will it be just the A22 and a few other former SCUT roads?

They say the Via Verde system will work, butI am not sure what this covers. Does it just cover portuguese tolls, or all of europe, or what? Perhaps somebody can advise