BILL AND CLAIRE

Toll booths are being built on the border and will be ready to open by AUG 1st
This is due to the fact that most foreign reg vehicles Ie Spanish, English,Have refused to pay there tolls..This could also mean that a toll charge could be made just to visit Vila Real.. Most of us thought this might go away,But it looks like its here to stay. I tried to explain that there had to be an alternative route and was told there is The Ferry...

Fredbargate

Simple answer
Don't visit Portugal

bxpuser24710519

I thought that was what was being done when I saw the works earlier this week. If I have to use a toll road to get where I want to go then so be it. Too many people want things for free, I was always told nothing is free, you pay for it somehow.

Graham G

Except that is where the airport is.

Barbara Red lips

You could always use Seville airport ... oh what joy ... better to pay the toll!

Jon-Bxl

I think most people grudgingly accept tolls - the big problem is the system they use and how it can really mess up peoples holidays and/or visits .... making Portugal less attractive... in these troubled times.

There are a couple of threads on the Ayamonte and Portugal forums... that explain the stupid system they use.

... and the car rental companies (including the biggest names in the world) who havent prepared themselves to protect their customers....

bxpuser24710519

Why grudgingly ? It can add to the cost of trips. Countries need good road systems and roads need maintenance and repair. I would avoid the toll roads if the alternative was an option for the trip. I prefer more scenic routes if time can allow but sometimes it cannot be built into the entire trip.

Yes the method of payment seems to be mad and not well thought out but then did they not just pull an idea out of the bag and pray it would get money in the pot.


I follow the main thread on the forum as family who drive when here use Faro airport. Others used Sevilla without problems when I lived nearer there, some still might.

Not on the ball this morning, what do you mean by rental companies not protecting their clients ? ta

RQM

I must admit I dont really mind toll roads. If I am in a hurry to get somewhere e.g. North to South of France they are excellent, great surface, little traffic and cut the journey in half.

What I do object to is when I was recently lost on the A7 I used the same toll booth several times and the attendant just kept taking my money and would not / could not explain where I was going wrong. It turned out there was a slip road just before the booth and at 3.00am virtually invisible.

If the money had been going into the guys own pocket I could have understood his silence but I paid a small fortune that night to eventually get less than 1km from the toll

Jon-Bxl

Hi there .... not wanting to repeat all the discussions on this - why not check out the threads on this subject....

Look at rental companies not supporting customers with transponders; telling them not to use the m-way for 2-3 days before leaving; and the photo of a bill for fines over 300 euros that someone got! etc. etc too much to repeat there.

Im afraid they didnt think this through for the thousands of visitors to Portugal and rent a car... so whilst not 'pulled out of a hat' - it wasnt well thought out. And many rental co's (including the 2 bigest in the world) stuck their heads in the sand.

I am OK to pay the tolls - but like most people I am not delighted with it - and do so grudgingly (like most people). My big issue is the method - which I think is crazy.

Take a look at the Portugal News (free paper) and the front page item as well.

There is also an argument that is going though the courts that this toll is illegal.

Like most people I understand the need for funding, especially in this crisis, but they need to think it through better. Its a mess at the moment.

Thanks
Jon

Carol&John

Could this be the Estradas de Portugal's EASY TOLL system for foreign registered cars? (Please read the links I've posted on the other thread.)

Jon-Bxl

Here it is

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...4#post10134584

Carol&John

Thanks Jon for referencing the thread.

Thanks also to Bill and Claire for the heads up. I'm not in Spain/Portugal so can not know what is going on. Just reading the online papers, leisurely...

Yet, here's a job opportunity related to the EASY TOLL for Spanish/English speakers:
http://theportugalnews.com/news/toll...t-border/26229

Graham G

And have the pleasure of being held to ransom every five minutes by Ryanair staff?

alaric

Are but we have already paid for this motorway through our VAT/IVA contributions to the world's longest and most luxurious gravy train and giant Ponzi scheme -the EU and are continuing so to do through endless support to the Portugese coffers so they should be paying us for our visits.

Jon-Bxl

I had a thought when passing the roadworks .... surely there needs to be an alternative to a toll road?

If there is a toll immediately after the bridge one is forced to pay to get into Portugal.. either one pays at the bridge or one pays the ferry. The 'long way' over the river at the 'new bridge' is not feasible - a couple of hours detour.

So I would expect the toll to be placed after the VRSA turn off - thus giving people the chance to get into Portugal and not pay a toll.

The roadworks are very big for the normal gantries we are seeing everywhere else....

Living in hope!!

With tolls all over the m-way one has to wonder if the petrol station they are building next to the plaza will be necessary now as the toll charges will make the Portugese less intereste in coming over to fill up....

Jon