Kath Las Colinas

I thought that what had been announced was the fact that the charges are to increase from the 1st Jan; so that they have actually been increased before they have even been implemented.

Kath

EsuriJohn

How the charges are made.

P.TINKS

Esuri - Faro Airport. 11.24 Euros return, prepayment at new toll booth near police post.

JT01

WOW do you mean at the old border point at the bridge on the Portugese side? How is that working? Do you just tell them which junction your driving to and they charge you accordingly, and presumably if you go beyond the junction you've paid for then charges will be applied back to the car hire company? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm one of many who are happy to pay, just can't be doing with the hassle of hiring and then pre-loading the transponder.

P.TINKS

Yes, there is a machine in the lay-by next to the police post. You have to use a credit card to pay for your trip ie. to Faro Airport 11.24. return.You enter your destination, car reg, date of return, card details, & that`s basically it.I dont know how hire cars are affected as I use my own .

Jon-Bxl

we have a few paralell threads - heres what I posted on another

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...&postcount=101

Fredbargate

I read this online today in what was my local UK paper

New European Union rules will soon allow police from one country to fine the registered owner of a car from another country.

But the UK has not signed up to the change because, under the law here, the person held responsible for the offence is the driver, not the registered keeper.

I wonder how that would work if you hire with two or more drivers?

Full article here
http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/70...ail/story.html

jdr

The driver will get collared, if you hire the car out you are required to give the driver/drivers details at the time of the offence to the police, make sure you are second or third on the list. ;-))

Kath Las Colinas

We picked up our hire car from Faro airport on Tuesday and were told we could pay for our tolls at any Portuguese post office within 5 days. When we asked about the return journey we were advised to use the N125. We went to the border post today to try to pay there. We spoke to a very nice man who spoke very good English. He explained that you could buy a return ticket and put in whatever date for return that you wanted to. But when we told him we were in a Portuguese hire car he wouldn't let us pay anything. He said that his company was still in negotiations with the hire car companies and when we returned the car we should leave a note telling them how often we used the tolls. But in the meantime we shouldn't pay anything. I am not convinced ...
Kath

guesswork

I have just read this on the Portuguese Forum.


Taken from the Yor Car web site:

A22 TOLLS FOR ALGARVE CAR HIRE UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST 2011
The Algarve Car Rental Companies are obligated to identify the driver of each hire car passing by the toll road stations. The normal traffic fines will later be sent by post to the driver's address. There is also the possibility to pay the fines on any Portuguese Post Offices (CTT) 48 hours after passing the toll station, by informing the car plate and dates.

A22 TOLLS FOR ALGARVE CAR HIRE BETWEEN JANUARY 1ST AND JUNE 30TH 2012
All Algarve Car Rental Companies will be obligated to pay a 6 months permission to allow their cars to use freely the toll roads. For the car hire companies in Portugal, this will be mandatory. A special rule has been published on December 12th 2011, allowing Portuguese car rental companies to charge locally a tolls tax. This tax is predicted to be between 1.00 EUR and 3.00 EUR.

A22 TOLLS FOR ALGARVE CAR HIRE AFTER JULY 1ST 2012
All Algarve car rental vehicles will have to be equipped with an electronic device identify the car on the Algarve A22 tolls system. The clients will then have to provide valid a credit card and sign a contract with one of the companies in charge of the tolls charges (CTT) valid during the duration of the car hire contract. All toll charges eventually generated will be charged directly to the client's credit card. No charges will be made if the driver doesn't use any tolled roads. However, a mandatory rental charge for the electronic device is predicted around 0.60 EUR daily for all clients.



At least there seems to be some movement now

EsuriJohn

Could they have made it more complicated!

Jon-Bxl

Thanks Guesswork for the collation of the data......

And yes I agree with John about the complexity. However will it work? thats my issue. There are a lot of 'pitfalls' here and we get lumbered with a FINE as opposed to a charge if one element of this process - outside our control - breaks down.

I am still VERY unhappy leaving the car and an open credit card slip - or as I call it 'blank cheque'.

rafikiphoto

Leaving aside the bit up to 31st Dec., which was daft, the rest seems reasonable. I guess the 6 month period where they make a general levy (I presume that's 1€ - 3€ per day) is to give the hire companies time to get all the transponders registered and fitted after which a separate charge for each hire seems logical. The contract will be just another form to sign when collecting the car.

EsuriJohn

I don't think the translators dont work to well from the text where it produces the word fine I think they mean charges and of course if you do not pay that then penalties and later fines and finally debt collection costs will be added.

EsuriJohn

That seems reasonable until you look at the last journey along the motorway to the airport which will not be logged for at least 48 hrs or longer at BH or weekends. Then they will chase you back to UK etc for 80c plus add ons.