A fresh push for an “A22 motorway without tolls” has been launched by Portugal’s communist party (PCP).
MPs say the tolls are “deeply detrimental” to the region and have had “very negative repercussions” since they were implemented five years ago.
“Job destruction, road accidents and the increase of difficulties for companies” are among the issues identified.
The draft resolution urging the state to scrap the tolls was submitted by MPs Paulo Sá, João Oliveira, António Filipe, Miguel Tiago, João Ramos and Carla Cruz on Monday (February 20).
They also defend that the EN125 is not a viable alternative to the A22, especially as its renovations have been “dragging painfully for several years”.
As they explain, the tolls “are not unavoidable but instead a political choice” which has benefited road concessions more than citizens.
The MPs also criticise the PS, PSD and CDS-PP for “always rejecting PCP’s proposals to abolish the tolls”.
And while they consider that the toll price reduction implemented last August was “positive”, they also say it was “wholly insufficient”.
