Last Friday, the deputies and deputies of the Left Bloc presented a bill that, if approved, would determine the exemption from the payment of tolls on the A22.
The Block says it is "with great fear that the collection of tolls on the A22 will aggravate the economic crisis in the Algarve, with negative consequences for the population of the region."
In justifying the reasons for presenting the Project Law, the blocistas say that «The Algarve is today the victim of an unprecedented economic and social crisis. The highest unemployment rate in the country, at 14,7% (INE, 2nd quarter of 2011), the rise in VAT in catering, with negative consequences on tourism, dominant in the region, the dragging absence of successive responses governments, particularly in terms of public investment, impose that the region is not the victim of yet another injustice. The introduction of tolls on Via do Infante will aggravate the economic and social crisis, increasing unemployment”.
BE also recalls that «researchers such as Fernando Perna or Adriano Pimpão have denounced that the increase in the tax burden in the Algarve will lead it to lose competitiveness in relation to Andalusia, not favoring the region's development, namely with negative effects on GDP growth ».
In the context of the interregional economy, BE considers that “Via do Infante has an impact that goes far beyond the region. Developing across the entire district of Faro, this route links the National North-South connections of the IP1 (A2) with the connection to Spain via Andalusia (A49)».
On the other hand, he adds, "the publicized alternative of the EN 125 is not actually so, given the weaknesses of the section and its accident situation, nor has the requalification proceeded according to promises".
For all these reasons, «the implementation of tolls on the A22 will result in a loss of competitiveness in the Algarve, with incalculable damage to the regional economy, to tourism and to aggravation of unemployment».
In article 1 of the Bill of Law, the Left Block proposes: «This diploma establishes the exemption from the collection of toll fees on sections and sub-stretches of the SCUT do Algarve highway, the A22, Via do Infante, due to the socioeconomic and the lack of a credible alternative road in the region'.
Full text of the Left Block Bill:
«PROJECT OF LAW No. …./XII/1st
DETERMINES TOLL EXEMPTION ON A22 (VIA DO INFANTE)
explanatory statement
The Algarve is today the victim of an unprecedented economic and social crisis. The highest unemployment rate in the country, at 14,7% (INE, 2nd quarter of 2011), the rise in VAT in catering, with negative consequences on tourism, which is dominant in the region, the dragging absence of successive responses governments, particularly in terms of public investment, impose that the region is not the victim of yet another injustice. The introduction of tolls on Via do Infante will aggravate the economic and social crisis, increasing unemployment.
The introduction of tolls on the A22, decided in Council of Ministers Resolution No. 75/2010, of 22 September and implemented at the Council of Ministers of 13 October 2011 should, in fact, be accompanied by the respective “family visa” ( provided on page 89 of the XIX Government Program) to assess the impact of the decisions of this body on the lives of families. Although the Government has forgotten about this commitment, the data pointed out by the investigation are enough to assess the extent of the negative consequences of this measure in the Algarve region.
Researchers such as Fernando Pena or Adriano Pimpão denounced that the increase in the tax burden in the Algarve will lead to it losing competitiveness in relation to Andalusia, not favoring the region's development, namely with negative effects on GDP growth.
The justice of these reasons revealed the social and popular mobilization, of an exemplary plurality, which over the months gave voice to the reasons for the protest against the introduction of tolls in this area. In March of this year, the Algarve Regional Tourism Authority manifested itself against the introduction of tolls on this route. Countless mayors have in the past voiced the reasons against the introduction of tolls.
The Commission of Users of Via do Infante promoted debate and social awareness against this measure and the numerous popular protests, due to their size, were clear testimonies of the voice of the region's populations.
The introduction of tolls on Via do Infante will add to the crisis in the region, with the Algarve having the highest unemployment rate in the country.. In addition, from other regions of the country, where tolls are already being collected, information arrives on the fall of passengers, namely tourists, and on revenues below expectations.
It should be noted that, in the context of the inter-regional economy, Via do Infante has an impact that goes far beyond the region. Developing across the entire district of Faro, this route links the National North-South connections of the IP1 (A2) with the connection to Spain via Andalusia (A49). On the other hand, the advertised alternative of the EN 125 is not actually so, given the weaknesses of the section and its accident situation, nor has the requalification proceeded according to promises.
The implementation of tolls on the A22 will result in a loss of competitiveness in the Algarve, with incalculable damage to the regional economy, tourist activity and aggravation of unemployment. In terms of regional mobility, this route is a fundamental mechanism in the fight against regional asymmetries, desertification and the lack of means of communication.
The history of this road axis begins in 1990, with the first works, which established the connection between Guia and Vila Real de Santo António, and only the final section, between Lagoa and Lagos, completed in 2003, was built after the creation of the No Cost to Users (SCUT) scheme.
Created by Decree-Law No. 267/97, of 2 October, the system of toll free of charge to users (SCUT) was created with the objective of «accelerate the execution of the national road plan in new ways so as to allow, by the year 2000, the completion of the fundamental network and a significant part of the complementary network».
The SCUT concessions thus constituted highways in which the State substituted the user in paying the toll, with the investment being supported by the taxes of all taxpayers. Initially outlined as a Complementary Itinerary, Via do Infante was built using the public budget during the XI, XII and XIV Constitutional Governments, as well as through community funds, namely the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).
Most of the financing, in the amount of 132,9 million euros, was made available between 1990 and 1993, during the Community Support Framework (QCA I), and only the section between Guia and Alcantarilha was financed in the period between 2000 and 2006, in the amount of 9,1 million euros.
The introduction of tolls on the A22 is, in the current context, an intolerable measure that seriously harms the tourism offer, essential for the regional producer, harms the population, in particular workers and companies, exacerbating the situation of serious crisis that befell the region. The installation of tolls on Via do Infante is a socially unfair measure that does not allow for an effective fight against the socioeconomic and regional asymmetries that characterize the region, as shown by preliminary data from the 2011 Census.
With no possible alternative, users are now directly supporting the costs of a road built mostly by community funds, outside of what would later converge on SCUT roads. This principle undermines territorial cohesion and solidarity and violates the Socialist Party's electoral contract, although I have the applause of the PSD.
The alternative defended by the Left Bloc is based on the principles of solidarity and the defense of social cohesion and the promotion of improved territorial accessibility, both in infrastructure and in means of transport, as an essential instrument of a sustainable development strategy.
With this initiative, the Left Bloc intends to promote legislative coherence with the principles of territorial cohesion and citizens' rights.
Thus, under the applicable constitutional and regulatory terms, the Deputies and Deputies of the Left Block, present the following Bill:
Article 1
Object
The present diploma establishes the exemption of toll fees on the sections and sub-stretches of the SCUT do Algarve motorway, the A22, Via do Infante, due to the socioeconomic situation and the inexistence of a credible alternative road in the region.
Article 2
Exemption from toll fee charges
The sections and sub-sections of the SCUT do Algarve highway, the A22, Via do Infante, are exempt from charging toll fees.
Article 3
Regulation
The Government regulates this statute within 30 days.
Article 4
Revoking rule
For the purposes set out in article 2, the applicable legal provisions that justify the collection of toll fees are revoked.
Article 5
Implementation
This statute comes into force with the approval of the State Budget Law subsequent to its publication.
Assembly of the Republic, 21 October 2011.
The Deputies and Deputies of the Left Block,
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