Toll free driving for locals' to continue

[ANDY]

http://www.algarvedailynews.com/news/69 ... ree-months


http://sol.sapo.pt/inicio/Sociedade/Int ... 1481237582

[joeysoap]

good news for residents, but as nobody is paying the tolls anyway does it make any difference?

[maccasa]

some months ago, before the tolls started I had heard this and some pillock on the forum told me it wasnt true. So it is - great! what do we as (part) residents to ensure we dont pay - visit the post office? register somewhenre?

[chaucer]

It's only available to permanent residents

[Craig]

Hi Chaucer,

Do people have to register?

Craig

[maccasa]

How do they know if you are only a part-timer? we have fiscal numbers, pay house/water/EDP rates etc. etc.

[joeysoap]

I suspect that if you live here for more than 183 days per year you are resident, with all that implies ie you pay your tax (income tax) in Portugal and not UK, you get part free motorway use , you drive a Portuguese regisered vehicle, you vote in local elections, you complete census forms etc etc.

[chaucer]

You need to show residencia, my entitlement to free trips/discounts was done when I got the transponder at the post office

[ditzy]

A colleague of mine lives in the Algarve, but isn't entitled to the free trips because her car is registered in her father's name and address in Lisbon.

[steve]

To get the free trips you have to be a full time resident and produce your residencia to prove this. The residencia evidences your address but I have only personal experience of the document issued by the SEF and not the piece of paper issued now by the Camara to new residents. Obviously as Ditzy points out the livrete for the car will need to give an address which falls within the allowable range of the motorway and I imagine should match the details on the residencia.

[pete-flint]

Just to throw a spanner in the works, what's the script for hire cars rented and used along the Algarve ?

[sunman]

had a trip to Albufeira yesterday, went on A22, returned on 125;

I only saw local small cars (presumably those on toll free) and several (not to incite anyone) British plated cars on the motorway; all the taxis & heavy vehicles were on the 125; Lagoa was busy last week, fuelled by the International School traffic, that's closed for the summer now so flow across Lagoa roundabout was much better.

Oh, and Algarve Shopping was like the Marie Celeste, totally empty, in a reversal of the usual situation the mobile phone assistants were queueing up to serve me!