The Commission of Users of Via do Infante (CUVI) considers that the State Budget for 2018 is “a good opportunity” to eliminate tolls on Via do Infante (A22).
In a statement, CUVI "has congratulated, once again, some political forces have presented to the Assembly of the Republic, in the discussion of the State Budget for 2018, proposals for the elimination of tolls".
For CUVI, «in addition to the serious damage that continues to affect the economy and mobility in the region, one of the most harmful aspects» of tolls on the A22 «is related to the numerous road accidents that occur on the EN125, which has been transformed into a dangerous urban street riddled with deadly traps».
"While the requalification of the road between Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António is taking a long time to advance, the requalification between Olhão and Vila do Bispo leaves much to be desired, highlighting glaring technical errors," he adds.
For CUVI, “traffic has become slower, to the despair of users and traders, and road accidents have increased”.
According to data from this Commission, from 1 January to 15 November this year there were “9679 accidents (9246 in 2016 and 8528 in 2015), with 27 fatalities and 167 serious injuries. In the period of one year, between 16 November 2016 and 15 November 2017, there were 31 fatalities in the region (31 in the same period of the previous year) and 181 serious injuries (15 more than before) - most of them in the EN125 ».
“As for the ruinous and obscene Public-Private Partnership (PPP) contract on the A22, it makes the toll situation even more unsustainable. According to the Technical Unit for Monitoring Projects (UTAP), toll collection reached the value of 14,8 million euros in the 1st half of 2017, revenue that covers only 43,5% of what the State has to pay to the private concessionaire ».
In other words, «the State had to disburse another 19,2 million to make up the 32 million that the concessionaire received. There are about 40 million that, annually, are subtracted from the taxpayers and that go straight to fill the pockets of the private ones», he says.
"The deputies of the PSD, the CDS and, in particular, the Socialist Party, now have a good opportunity to abolish tolls in the discussion of the State Budget, joining other deputies from the other parliamentary political forces", says CUVI .
Therefore, «any solution that involves the elimination of tolls in the region without delay, even with some constraints, will invariably be much better than the maintenance of these same tolls. The very negative consequences are clearly visible to everyone».
"The Algarve does not deserve so much affront, injustice and discrimination on the part of the government", he concludes.
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