“I always feel in debt, don’t I? Maybe because it is always close to people and people and companies report it systematically”said Ana Abrunhosa, emphasizing that the government has reduced tolls on these roads, “but we must continue to consolidate this effort”not least because the toll has already been increased again, “and they also increased inland”.
“It is a political issue and, as you know, we have included a programmatic standard in the National Budget for 2023. This standard provided for the establishment of a working group. This working group has a proposal and it is a proposal that the National Budget itself predicts that it will will be presented at the limit in June and that is why we are working on it,” said the minister at a hearing before the Economy Committee, in the parliament in Lisbon, without ensuring that this deadline is met.
Ana Abrunhosa stated that the work carried out takes into account “not only the proposal to reduce tolls for ex-SCUT [estradas que eram sem custo para o utilizador]but also the Via do Infante, which is also a promise”.
“So far on the part of the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion and the ministries involved [nomeadamente o Ministério das Infraestruturas] We have been working in this direction as we have committed in the state budget,” he said.
Ana Abrunhosa highlighted the impact that exemption from payment on these roads could have on the state’s bills.
“To let you know, the exemption of the three porticos on the A41, in the Maia area, and the portico on the A28, in Viana do Castelo, which are most clearly visible here, have an impact per year, if we So withdrawing 11.6 million euros has also been considered,” he explained.
Source: DN
