Claire WilsonTRAFFIC on Spain’s toll roads has fallen by 35% since the onset of the recession.
The drop has outstripped that of GDP over the same period according to Abertis, the infrastructure company which operates more than half of the country’s toll roads.
In 2013 alone, there has been a 9% fall in vehicles using the country’s toll roads.
Abertis, whose portfolio includes the AP-7 between Sevilla and Cadiz, attributes the decline to ongoing economic woe, adverse weather conditions at the start of the year, and the removal of the 7% toll subsidy which applied until September 2012.
The group said it was difficult to predict whether or not there would be an uptick in the final months of the year.
It remained optimistic, particularly as there has been an increase in the number of lorries and haulage vehicles using the roads over the past month.
they built motorway toll roads where a normal A or b road would of been okay for present and future traffic usage
also the spanish will drive miles out of their way to avoid paying a toll
The only good thing about the empty toll road is that I can properly exercise my ’68 Fastback lol.
It’s a pity that all through traffic (such as trucks carrying containers) to Algeciras aren’t on the Toll roads. They were supposed to carry such traffic but it seems they’re mainly used by folks that can’t put up with the totally avoidable congestion on the regular roads.
Did you also read the headline “Andalucia’s toll roads are the most expensive in Spain”? Little wonder so few use them. Approaching Fuengirola from Malaga the vast majority of traffic peels off towards Fuengirola & beyond on the regular road rather than pay the required tolls. As a result, the toll roads are doing little to reduce traffic where it matters.
its so very nice on the Autopista now some in Catalunya are almosted deserted. High Prices and Roads to nowhere.
I drove from the UK to Spain in the summer, via France. I took my time, left Friday late afternoon, £71 on eurotunnel one way, arrived in Spain Sunday early afternoon. Tolls through France and Spain must have been £160, two hotels, one very cheap, food for the family, fuel etc. I must have spent £500 to get there. Some friends go the non toll roads and I did try that once to Northern Spain to the ferry but my tomtom took me through a field so I gave up on that idea. My Wife cannot read a map and she sleeps most of the way so I can’t get any help there. On another trip I take when I am on the AP7 near Vera, it costs €14 or so and it only saves 30 minutes so I gave that a miss this year, I was in no hurry.