According to a Government resolution published today in Diário da República, the measure, which was approved about two weeks ago by the Government, allows for a 50 percent reduction in toll fees for combustion vehicles and 75 percent for electric and non-polluting vehicles on each of the designated toll roads.
The roads the reduction applies to are the A22-Algarve (Via do Infante), A23 - IP, A23 - Beira Interior, A24 - Interior Norte, A25 - Beiras Litoral and Alta, A28 - Norte Litoral, Grande Porto concessions (A41, A42) and da Silver Coast.
However, according to Diário da República, these discounts, which take effect on Thursday, only cover for now combustion vehicles (diesel and gasoline).
"[…] The implementation of the discount scheme provided for electric and non-polluting vehicles will imply the adoption of a significant set of technical operational measures that prevent the measure from coming into force on July 1, 2021, whose regulation will be opportunely implemented through an ordinance”.
The measure, proposed by the PSD, was approved by parliament under the State Budget Law for 2021.
The approval of the measure caused some controversy, with the Government pointing out its possible unconstitutionality, which was discarded.
Despite the opposition, on May 19, the Minister of Territorial Cohesion pledged, in parliament, to comply with the State Budget Law for 2021 regarding a 50 percent reduction in tolls in ex-SCUT as of July 1 this year.
The minister highlighted that she has always been "an advocate of reducing tolls", but gradually, "because the impacts are high".
Ana Abrunhosa then pointed out that the 50 percent reduction in tolls in the former SCUT also "implies complex contractual issues" with concessions and sub-concessions, with whom it is necessary to "negotiate financial balances", considering that a large part of the concessions ends in 2023.
The Government estimated an impact of €160 million annually due to this reduction in tolls.
As for the reductions currently in force, at the initiative of the Government, since January 11 this year, they provide for reductions between 25 percent and 55 percent, depending on the vehicle class and the day or night period, and had an impact on the infrastructure of Portugal (IP) in excess of €2.6 million.
Sitting around the table, a group of less than 6 fully vaccinated gentlemen were drinking coffee and the topic came around to electric cars, the first topic of discussion was, where does the electricity for these cars come from, look it up, but wind turbines, solar panels, methne burning, you name it, one of our ilustrious countryman put his hand up to make a comment, his working life was spent on heavy rigs, oil fields then setting up wind turbines, he said many of them didnt have a motor, those that did were not connected to the grid, the maintenance for those rigs cost more than the energy they produced, true or false, i don't know, the story goes that many of these projest are on display just for show, to get grants from the EU and its a good publicity photo, next on the agenda was the topic of fuel prices in this country, one of the highest in the world, the bulk of the money we pay for our fuel goes into taxes, some of it goes to fix the roads, if and when we all drive electric cars where will the taxes to repair the roads come from, i can't wait to find out.
By Mr John from Algarve on 28 Jun 2021, 20:27
They just approved the move from 1000 small watts of power from solar (3 panels) to up to 30,000W, in 2020. Portugal has embarrassing solar proliferation considering the UV index is pegged at 10 most days. It's a massive squandered resource
By William from Alentejo on 28 Jun 2021, 22:48