As many of you know over the last few years tolls have been removed from a number of toll roads but this is the last year you will enjoy this as of next year they will be renistated plus extra tolls on a lot of autovias and main roads imposed this was agreed with the EU as part of the post pandemic aid package as its going to be extensive i would expect it will be an electronic system
Spanish Toll Roads
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
I don't think the plan for tolls is avoidable. Funding for maintenance of the road network has to come from somewhere, rather than just let it deteriorate as in so many parts of the UK: https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-...lan-to-turn-all-its-highways-into-toll-roads/
These new tolls are nothing to do with road maintenance the Spanish goverment already collects more than enough in fue
l tax and circulationn tax to pay for the road network but like the UK it is not used on the roads alone this is a tax to pay for the EU covid recovery fund all it will do will increase costs and polution as people use non tollroad routes
l tax and circulationn tax to pay for the road network but like the UK it is not used on the roads alone this is a tax to pay for the EU covid recovery fund all it will do will increase costs and polution as people use non tollroad routes
Joined
·
4,937 Posts
I can’t comment on all roads in Spain but all the ones I have driven on they have been fantastic and make UK roads look like a third world country in comparison.
Yes ,they are expensive to maintain but I suppose it all depends on were the government of a country think the priorities should be.
Regrettable the UK doesn’t seam to think the infrastructure is as important as filling their and their mates off shore accounts.
Yes ,they are expensive to maintain but I suppose it all depends on were the government of a country think the priorities should be.
Regrettable the UK doesn’t seam to think the infrastructure is as important as filling their and their mates off shore accounts.
Joined
·
12,486 Posts
It is noticeable that roads in France and Spain are indeed much better condition generally than the ones in Blighty. In fact I'd add Italy to that list too let alone the Low Countries, Germany etc...
In fact from recent memory the worst roads we have travelled on were in Poland.
In fact from recent memory the worst roads we have travelled on were in Poland.
I've often noted in France, and Spain too I think, that you can have 3 roads all going the same way - there'll be an 'access' road running alongside shops, a faster town road alongside that, and one side of a dual carriageway; and all of that repeated on the other side. It's probably safer but it will certainly rack up on the maintenance budget.
It is a myth that ”road tax”, aka VED, or tax/duty on fuel or anything else goes into a pot(hole) marked “road maintenance”. In the UK and probably elsewhere there are no hypothecated taxes.
Taxation doesn’t pay for anything, the government spends first (through the BoE) and taxes later.
Yes, Spanish and French roads are so much better than ours, but I really miss those ten miles of cones cordoning off nothing happening and the 40 tonner overtaking another 40 tonner and taking about half an hour to do so.
But the UK government has decided it doesn’t do road maintenance, it’d rather spend millions on death traps called “smart motorways” and encourage ever more traffic on the roads.
Taxation doesn’t pay for anything, the government spends first (through the BoE) and taxes later.
Yes, Spanish and French roads are so much better than ours, but I really miss those ten miles of cones cordoning off nothing happening and the 40 tonner overtaking another 40 tonner and taking about half an hour to do so.
But the UK government has decided it doesn’t do road maintenance, it’d rather spend millions on death traps called “smart motorways” and encourage ever more traffic on the roads.
Joined
·
19,098 Posts
Sad to read, we very much enjoyed the roads and the ease of access, we would continue to use decent quality roads but will also use the smaller “local” roads rather than the autovias so we can see more of the countryside rather than zapping by at 80kph, or 90kph only seeing a fast but limited view of what is around.
Obviously the cost of using such things and tolls will limit how long we can go for as budgets are not unlimited….
Obviously the cost of using such things and tolls will limit how long we can go for as budgets are not unlimited….
Unfortunately the new system will include many N roads so traveling any distance avoiding tolls will become difficult or impossible. This week in the Basque Country they started charging HGVs on a number of N roads a taste of things to come
Except for driving in UK or perhaps heading for a ferry on the continent I generally have my settings on No Tolls and No Motorway. What I've found in the past is that even when my satnav tells me I'd be quicker on toll roads or motorways it often doesn't work out that way cos I'm not driving at the allowed speed but more often 90/95km/hr. So I take longer than expected on these routes whereas I tend to shed a bit of time on the non-motorway routes. And they're generally so much more enjoyable.
Joined
·
12,486 Posts
On many occasions we would too but in France in winter with the lure of some better weather to come in Spain, it's 'mile munching' mode for us. Also when I do research on toll free routes, even the authors say it isn't worth it for some parts of the route we take down to the border i.e. it adds way too much time for very little saving.
We always use motorways, tolls or free. I don’t enjoy driving down through England, but the alternative on A roads is even worse, I feel, but in France and especially in Spain the motorways are quieter and have fewer or no roadworks or HGV’s. And my wife shares some of the driving, which with our small trailer, she is happy to do on a motorway. We see the “real” Spain when we arrive at small sites in small villages in rural areas.
As ever, each to their own.
As ever, each to their own.
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
