Tolls to reappear in Spain, with EU interference?

[jongood]

Brussels gives Spain an ultimatum: Implement dual carriageway tolls in 2025 or face huge fines

Brussels Gives Spain An Ultimatum: Implement Dual Carriageway Tolls In 2025 Or Face Huge Fines Keep up with the Latest News In English Murcia Costa Calida Spain

murciatoday.com

 

[Bolti]

I do feel that those in control of us ( by this I mean all governments) think we are placed on this earth to extort money from by what ever means possible. Forced control over the population is becoming ever more noticeable.

 

[Carpmart]

I’m naturally inclined towards being a remainer in my views but n Europe and believe that together we are stronger in this world with China, India and USA being so big, powerful and increasingly disruptive; but this kind of bullying of a member state to implement something which they don’t want to, based on their population already being stretched by cost of living (as per the article), really challenges my view! I hope Spain (and the others) stand up to Brussels!

 

[David and Sally]

As my post in another thread. Does this apply to Belgium and Holland too? Plus, any other EU state?

 

[nicholsong]

I do feel that those in control of us ( by this I mean all governments) think we are placed on this earth to extort money from by what ever means possible. Forced control over the population is becoming ever more noticeable.

Are the EU then going to tell the likes of Poland and France that they must start charging Road Tax(VED)?

How about making the M/Way tolls the same rates - that would upset Austria because of their high rates.

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[BikerGraham]

interesting, we’ve just come mover to Spain and both commented to each other that it seemed we went through many more tolls booths than last year.
While a different route it appeared that more Spanish motorways were now charging. Maybe just our perception though.

 

[DT]

I do feel that those in control of us ( by this I mean all governments) think we are placed on this earth to extort money from by what ever means possible. Forced control over the population is becoming ever more noticeable.

I 100% agree. It they get a sniff of an issue the first thing that comes to mind is can we monetise this. In my humble opinion over the next four years we will see much more control, rules, regulations.

 

[Capitanjohn]

i thought they have just taken all the toll booths down.

 

[olley]

It really is becoming one mega state, run by a small group of unelected plutocrats.

 

[David and Sally]

It really is becoming one mega state, run by a small group of unelected plutocrats.

That’s what they want. Take over Europe without firing a bullet. Fortunately one size does not fit all and it will crumble eventually. The cracks are already appearing.

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[nicholsong]

interesting, we’ve just come mover to Spain and both commented to each other that it seemed we went through many more tolls booths than last year.
While a different route it appeared that more Spanish motorways were now charging. Maybe just our perception though.

As I understood the decision to make the M/ways free also made provision for the contracts on the charging M/ways to expire first, so that the company that built them could recoup the full revenue they expected from the construction. This seemed fair enough to me.

 

[gus-lopez]

As my post in another thread. Does this apply to Belgium and Holland too? Plus, any other EU state?

It only applies if it was part of the government strategy written in to a recovery plan.

 

[jongood]

i thought they have just taken all the toll booths down.

The report is mentioning a vignette system, really hope they dont do go box!

 

[15edward]

This is about recovering money already given out for covid recovery isn’t it ? As well as looking to cleaner air

 

[nicholsong]

The report is mentioning a vignette system, really hope they dont do go box!

It is a pity that the EU did not get involved in ensuring all countries systems were similar.

When we travel from Poland to Ancona, Italy, in our 3,850kg MH, we go through the following systems: -

1. Poland GPS based, ensure you have enough credit on e-Toll. Remember to activate it on your phone and de-activate it before using the car at home or it will think we are in the >3,5t MH

2. Slowakia Stop at office, no queue, pay fixed charge (€12?). You are immediately in their camera system which checks registrations.

3. Austria Go-box, which we bought 3 years ago. Had to go to office to check credit from last year as I could not do it on-line. Now about €100 one-way from Slowakia to Italy, just because we are 350kg over vignette weight, and Euro 3 engine. I will be looking at cutting through Hungary on normal roads and paying Slowenia to Trieste

4. Italy Take ticket from machine at start of M/Way. First one had 1 km queue. Pay at exit, but machine too low from 'A' Class cab and lane too narrow to open Hab door, so I have to stop short for Basia to walk to machine while I drive up to where it can calculate payment, she pays, barrier opens and then I have to stop after barrier to retrieve her. Got caught out at last exit coming home - she got to booth, no machine, just a human to pay.

Slowakia is the easiest and cheapest, bit like Switzerland - one off payment on entry and off you go, no stopping.

Those of you that only travel in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy can get the stickers that let you through at 30kph, but those are only any use to us in Italy, and not compatible with the Polish(GPS), Austrian(GO-box) and Slovak systems.

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[mikebeaches]

Oh dear, I quite regularly drive about 135 miles south down the A7 from Alicante Airport to near Mojacar in Almeria.

All free motorway / dual carriageway - guess it's going to cost me in the near future.

 

[MichaelT]

From what I understand it's not that the EU are forcing them to reinstate tolls but the Spanish government said they would as part of a recovery plan for their economy (guess EU lent them money). As they haven't kept their part of the deal there is a risk they won't recover so they are being forced. Bit like us if we tell the bank we will do x, y or z to repay a loan and we don't they may take action to force us.

Having said that I can't see a few tolls are going to clear the national debt but every little helps as the saying goes

 

[jongood]

On the plus side at least the fuel is still nice and cheap, paid €1.29 yesterday

 

[Googlebot]

I would check the story very carefully for fact before making a judgement. Often those with vested interests to deregulate will knock out stories like this with no basis in the truth.

Agree with others though, if we have to regulate traffic, can we do it one way across the EU and the UK. Makes travelling a pain otherwise.

 

[Wildbill]

We have driven down over the last few days and I think the toll roads are brilliant but used up a lot of beer tokens for my liking to save a few hours.
And missed so much when we go back up it’s a wandering up the road we go
WB

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[Coolcats]

From what I understand it's not that the EU are forcing them to reinstate tolls but the Spanish government said they would as part of a recovery plan for their economy (guess EU lent them money). As they haven't kept their part of the deal there is a risk they won't recover so they are being forced. Bit like us if we tell the bank we will do x, y or z to repay a loan and we don't they may take action to force us.

Having said that I can't see a few tolls are going to clear the national debt but every little helps as the saying goes

Spot on

SPAIN has been given an ultimatum by the European Union to introduce new toll road charges based on vehicle emissions or face legal action.

Seven other countries also face sanctions for not introducing EU-wide standards over toll charges.

The so-called Eurovignette Directive establishes common rules on the imposition of toll charges and time-based user charges (vignettes), ‘allowing Member States to recover infrastructure costs (construction, operation, maintenance) through tolls and vignettes’.


Unlike what some would like to believe its not the Big Bad controlling Wolf (Brussels)

Spain has been given large swathes of money from the EU for its ‘recovery plan’ in the wake of the Covid pandemic but that came on the condition that it would bring toll charging and rules to the same standard as the rest of the bloc.
The deadline for incorporating the directive into national law was March 25, and there are seven EU states besides Spain that are in trouble with Brussels, namely Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland and Portugal.

The eight countries have been given two months to respond or face legal consequences.

The Sanchez government has slow-paced changes due to the likely backlash from motorists having to pay more to use motorway toll roads as well as charges being introduced to some secondary roads.

 

[David and Sally]

But it is Brussels sticking its nose into the lives of EU countries. Do what we say or face sanctions.
So why do the Eurocrats want harmonised toll charges.? What has it got to do with them other than to help their aim of a harmonised European superstate.
It is the Big Bad Wolf ok.

 

[Minxy]

But it is Brussels sticking its nose into the lives of EU countries. Do what we say or face sanctions.
So why do the Eurocrats want harmonised toll charges.? What has it got to do with them other than to help their aim of a harmonised European superstate.
It is the Big Bad Wolf ok.

But if they got the money by saying they'd meet the terms of the 'contract' then if they don't do so they are in breach. If they'd refused those terms they wouldn't have got the dosh. Their choice, like it or lump it.

 

[BikerGraham]

Let’s be honest Spain has had a great deal of EU money over the decades as it was considered a developing country for a long time. The infrastructure has benefitted greatly from this.

 

[David and Sally]

But if they got the money by saying they'd meet the terms of the 'contract' then if they don't do so they are in breach. If they'd refused those terms they wouldn't have got the dosh. Their choice, like it or lump it.

But why impose such a condition? So really it is, we will lend you some money but do what we tell you so that we can build our superstate and make even more rules you have to obey.

I don’t suppose they took into account how roads are paid for by the various countries. Road tax, fuel duties, general taxationt for example. These will be different so why should tolls be the same?

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[Coolcats]

But why impose such a condition? So really it is, we will lend you some money but do what we tell you so that we can build our superstate and make even more rules you have to obey.

I don’t suppose they took into account how roads are paid for by the various countries. Road tax, fuel duties, general taxationt for example. These will be different so why should tolls be the same?

Erm no, it’s no different to a credit card, the bank lends you money and imposes terms to which you agree to, if you don’t pay it back there are penalties. So then the bank is a big bad wolf (not) and let’s not forget who’s money is being lent either by the eu or a bank it is ours or at least those who have placed money in savings or bonds etc.

And didn’t America lend us money post 1945 and can you imagine what would have happened if we didn’t pay it back?

 

[Wildbill]

Wonder if Britain not paying millions in to the big eu money pot has anything to do with it
WB

 

[MichaelT]

Wonder if Britain not paying millions in to the big eu money pot has anything to do with it
WB

Yeah cos that 350m a week is doing wonders for the NHS

 

[jongood]

Erm no, it’s no different to a credit card, the bank lends you money and imposes terms to which you agree to, if you don’t pay it back there are penalties. So then the bank is a big bad wolf (not) and let’s not forget who’s money is being lent either by the eu or a bank it is ours or at least those who have placed money in savings or bonds etc.

And didn’t America lend us money post 1945 and can you imagine what would have happened if we didn’t pay it back?

It is different because is in the Euro, this means that when they face any kind of crisis they don't have the ability to unilaterally change interest rates or print more or less money, which is the way the UK dealt with the recent crises.

 

[gus-lopez]

From what I understand it's not that the EU are forcing them to reinstate tolls but the Spanish government said they would as part of a recovery plan for their economy (guess EU lent them money).

Correct.Spain added it to the "recovery plan as a rope-a-dope

As they haven't kept their part of the deal there is a risk they won't recover s

As of last week they are the best performing economy in the EU

Let’s be honest Spain has had a great deal of EU money over the decades as it was considered a developing country for a long time. The infrastructure has benefitted greatly from this.

Went from a receiver of funds to a net payer when the east europeans joined

But why impose such a condition?

They didn't Sanchez threw it in to the 'recovery plan' to make them take the bait

o really it is, we will lend you some money but do what we tell you so that we can build our superstate and make even more rules you have to obey.

No as above.
All Spain has to do is remove the condition for toll roads from the 'recovery plan'. This is subject to constant change , Then the problem/fines would disappear.

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