guesswork

The Airport Authority are talking about making additional charges to small Rental Companies

Please look at the link to The Algarve Resident

http://portugalresident.com/mp-accus...r-rental-firms

AndyS

Quite staggering isn't it. Drive out the small companies, the big boys can then increase their prices and passengers using Faro for Spain start going to Seville instead. I presume there is some logic somewhere, but damned if I can see where.

shirley and anthony hide

Put this idea together with the Tolls on the on the A22.
Its a wonderful way to promote tourism in the Algarve.
Banning people from using the beaches until after dark must surely be the next step.

EMR

Nothing wrong with the tolls, the A22 is a joy to drive compared to the N125.
As for these " reported costs " anyone with past knowledge of the accuracy of the English local press in Portugal knows to take these comments with a pinch of salt.
The hire companies do NOT know yet what is happening and which ones will be affected.
There are many " one man bands " who do NOT use the official facilities, maybe it is these who are being targetted.

shirley and anthony hide

I agree the A22 is a joy to drive compared to the N125.
Now tell the locals that. The ones who have travel to work but can't afford the tolls, so are forced to use the N125.You can always put them up in your Ivory tower

EMR

The tolls are now a fact of life.
Most of Portuguese motorways are now tolls so why should the Algarve be any different.
Life is about finding solutions to poblems you can do something about.
Personally I think that the toll prices should be reduced for the Portuguese and be higher for tourists and foreign reg cars.

shirley and anthony hide

The Algarve depends on tourism.It competes with many other countries.
So needs to attract tourists there rather than elsewhere.
There is your problem.
Solution: Put tolls on the the main artery of the Algarve.Combine that with a payment system that is a joke,only not funny.
Also encourage people to fly to Seville instead of Faro.

EMR

Payment system a joke, !! when were you last there.
It is now simple , no need to visit the post office etc.
So if you do not want the richer tourists to pay or the Portuguese then who should ??
Do you actually think that the tolls are going to be cancelled, the central government and the Troika do not think that that tourism is a priority for Portugal.

Lloyd2012

Well I agreed already three periods of car hire for 2014 from my Carhire company. I usually pay cash when I arrive. Looks like I might be due an unpleasant surprise. Portugal never fails to surprise ! Thanks for the info.
Martin.

shirley and anthony hide

I am there for 6 months every year now.Admittedly on the Spain side of the river,incidently they don't have tolls on their stretch.I don't go to Portugal as much now as I can't be arsed to stop and give my cc details at the toll station.And actually I do not think and never said they will cancel the tolls now,so wind your neck in.My point is they were ill conceived,and ill implemented. By the way if I enter the motorway and exit where there is no pay station how do I pay?

shirley and anthony hide

http://algarvedailynews.com/news/109...d-says-faro-mp

shirley and anthony hide

http://www.almaverde.com/blog/financ...olicy-failure/

EMR

Policy is made in Lisbon and Porto not the Algarve.
Algarve MP,s and business organisations have asked for NO tolls since the sujbect was first raised with zero success to date.
All that has been achieved is a better more efficient payment system with more revenue with over 1million Euros coming from foreign reg cars on the A22.
Regarding non payment of tolls in a foreign reg vehicle. there will soon be a european wide system of passing on vehicle details to the vehicles home country.
We have learned to live with the situation. in the winter when its quiet use the N125 , in the summer if necessary use the A22.

shirley and anthony hide

And who pays for the new system. I have heard that the Portuguese taxpayer subsidises the the toll operator,because there is insufficient money generated from the tolls. Please tell me this is not true.

Kath Las Colinas

For me, the biggest problem with the toll road is that there is still no way to pay the toll for the journey back to the airport. I have tried on line and even been to the post office at the airport but there is no way to pay it. I don't mind using the N125 for an afternoon flight but not for an early morning one. It can't be paid in advance with a Portuguese hire car.

Kath