Fredbargate

I have a very cunning plan Baldrick,

We will put tolls on the free motorways and make a system that is unpayable by tourists, thus loosing tourist revenues.

However if we also make a toll for Portugese heading for Spain to buy cheap petrol it will dissuade them and we can recoup our losses in petrol duty.

BILL AND CLAIRE

Should have gone to SPEC-SAVERS.......

BILL AND CLAIRE

I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THE ROAD IN QUESTION WAS BUILT FOR FREE...Just spare a thought for local people who dont have "" A few quid in there back pocket " I personally have just sold a car to a family who had to down grad just to enable the wife to go to work in AYAMONTY.And just for the record i made no finacial gain from the sale of the car....This is not just about Tourists this is about local people who rely on that road...and please dont tell me there is an allterative route.because the road surface between Villa Real and Faro could do with a few Paddys working on it,,

Jon-Bxl

I would buy a used car from him!

The road was built with EU funding, meaning that if Portugal make a profit from it then this is possibly illegal too.

M-way usage is down 56% with the tolls and there has been an increase in injury/deaths on the road.

Local businesses all over the Algarve have said this is a terrible project and can only hit local businesses/people in the worst way. As it impacts on tourism and their satisfaction.... and thus business.... and livlihoods... the wrong thing to be doing in a crisis.

I still hope that any new toll will happen after VRSA as I dont see how they can force us to pay to come into an EU country.

It looks like they have built a filter for cars entering Portugal - Im guessing (hoping) for security reasons other than tolls.....

Though the first post was pretty clear about the tolls and a date....

Jon-Bxl

I am guessing here about the new works on the Portugal side of the bridge.

Going over we saw some new signs are put up saying that foreign cars should stop there and pay their tolls. So I think this work is specifically for that. Preparing the foreign plated cars for paying the toll... which has proven to be a big problem.

I also remain of the opinion that the VRSA turn off is NOT tolled (and certainly for the moment the M-Gordo turn off as well).

I hope that this will remain and actually am pretty certain of it - meaning that we will at least always be able to get off at VRSA for free and - for the forseeable future - the next one as well. I just dont see how they can force a charge on people entering Portugal as per my previous post

Just a gut feel based on the signs - but I feel pretty certain of it...

With the low volume of traffic there I wonder how many years of tolls will be needed just to pay for all this work and the temp staff they need to explain this toll mess to people!!

Graham G

I'll bet the message for 'foreign cars' reads like "terrorists pay here" when they really mean " tourists pay here"

MikeJ

The new toll plaza is taking shape in the old Tourist layby just over the bridge. There are two large signs directing foreign registered vehicles into the layby. Obviously this is the Easy-toll system (see previous posts & links) to replace the old ticket machine. A camera will capture your numberplate, you stick your Credit Card into a machine and away you go. All future tolls will be taken as PAYG from your CC. Simples.

Apparently this was a reaction to the number of Spanish visitors having to queue at the border at Easter. We saw queues of around 20 cars on Sundays - presumably Portugal is a better place for Sunday lunch!

Whether you can drive a hire car through and register the number against your CC remains to be seen - although I'm not sure I would risk it unless there is a way of limiting the duration.

Jon-Bxl

You see all the signs asking for money - from foreigners - a few seconds after passing the big sign that says 'welcome' in several languages!

Jon-Bxl

Agreed. Even if there was a way to limit the duration I would be suspicious of risking it. However it is a step forward for foreign cars owned. AND if they can convince us that there is a workable duration for rental cars.

With credit card PAYG alongside numberplate recognition.... AND the payshops and post offices having on-line access to the tolls vs numberplates, we are one step away from having this opened up to us online to pay by credit card. This is 'self-security' because no-one will pay for someone else numberplate... and the system will allow us to print out a receipt and also we will be able to pay for the last 2-3 days usage before dropping the rental car off at the airport. (When we return.) Also allow us to pay locally when visiting.

A big issue caused by the intransigence of the rental companies not having a proper system in place. Including the worlds largest car renters!!

I think this would be a huge step forward if they did it and allow us to pay online.... the majority of the system is already there now.

Jon

BILL AND CLAIRE

Dont you ever forget it young Grayham You were the instigator of this mess ,,until you mentioned tolls they had and would never have thought of it..

Jon-Bxl

Went past yesterday there was a HUGE line of people waiting to pay at the old machine.

I had a thought - as above if they opened it up online for PAYG AND individual trips or a duration... then this would kill the need to have transponders! And all that cost to them to make the transponder system. ... and the people buying them.

And the tolls would be far more manageable than the mess they have now.

Just a thought...... but what do I know!

Jon

BILL AND CLAIRE

I saw the same queue,it must have taken over an hour to pay...I cant belive there no sign to tell people they can pay at the service station that way they may fill up with over priced fuel and have a coffee and maybe a few ice creams for the kids...I wonder if the persons responable for this fiasco are still in a job,?

Fredbargate

Well if they are not they would probably have got a multimillion payout like most failures do

MikeCol

Have just used the new toll system and it couldn't be easier. Insert your credit card then your number plate is automatically photographed and off you go. The receipt you receive is valid for 30days and the price of your trips are automatically deducted from your credit card. There is still no need to do this unless you are going beyond the Monte Gordo turnoff. After 30 days you just repeat the process next time you make a trip. Regards Bryony

Golfister

Bryony - is this at the toll booth at the bridge going from Spain into Portugal and does it work equally with UK bank accounts or just Spanish ones?

We will be driving down from England in a few weeks and are still unclear what we will have to do as it seems to change every week

Thanks.