The formula that establishes how the increase in the toll price is calculated in each year is outlined in legislation from 1997 that establishes that the increase to be applied each year relates to annual inflation, excluding housing, in mainland Portugal in the last month for which data is available before 15 November, the deadline for motorway operators to communicate to the government their proposals for the next year’s prices.

In its flash estimate of the consumer price index (CPI) for October, released today, the INE calculates that the annual inflation rate, excluding housing, for mainland Portugal was -0.10%, which implies unchanged toll prices next year.

That would follows four consecutive years of increases in motorway tolls: this year they went up 0.98%; in 2018 the increase was 1.42%, in 2017 it was 0.84%, and in 2016 it was 0.62%.

The definitive data for the October CPI, on the basis of which concessionaires must communicate their proposed price to the government, is to be published on 13 November.