Tolls, stickers or free? Spain mulls future

"Don't stop!" Since September 1, that has been the message plastered across many toll booths in the northeastern Catalonia region, largely along a section of the AP-7 motorway between the French border and Barcelona that is very popular with European tourists. 

With the ending of concessions held by subsidiaries of Spanish toll road operator Abertis, control over nearly 500 kilometres of motorways has reverted back to the state and the government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Halting the tolls there will hand road users "an annual savings of more than €750 million", said Transport Minister Raquel Sanchez. 

In a country where almost 85% of motorways are toll-free, payments on three stretches ended in 2018 and another two in 2020, meaning that in just three years, 1,029 kilometres of highway have passed from private to public hands - saving drivers €1.4 billion in tolls.

Full Story: https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/tolls-stickers-or-free-spain-mulls-future-of-motorways.899179