The AP-7 highway will be completely toll-free between the northernmost point of La Jonquera and Tarragona from 1 September. As such, the civilian platform ‘Prou, AP-7 Gratuïta JA!’ is starting a new battle. Members are now protesting against the introduction in 2024 of a motorway vignette.
On August 31, the contract with the toll company will end. This will, therefore, allow motorists to drive free of charge along the Spanish east coast via the AP-7. As such, the platform Prou, AP-7 Gratuïta YA! has achieved its initial goal. Furthermore, under their new name ‘Mai més de pagament’ (never pay again), the citizens are committed to keeping it that way in the future.
Government must pay maintenance
Meanwhile, the Spanish government has come up with alternatives to generate income from road users. One of these is the introduction of a motorway vignette to cover the costs of road maintenance. This plan of the central government is supported by the Catalan Generalitat. However, Mai més de pagament opposes this and is demanding the resignation of vice president Jordi Puigneró. Because, according to Platform, the maintenance of highways should simply be paid for by the government.
80% fatal accidents on N roads
“We wanted to make the AP-7 free of charge because 80% of fatal traffic accidents result from head-on collisions on N-roads. The argument that there is no money for road maintenance is a big lie. The road has delivered an amount 35 times its cost,” said platform spokesman Llorenç Narvarro.
To celebrate that the entire AP-7, as well as the AP-2 (Zaragoza-Barcelona), the C-33 (Barcelona-AP-7), and the C-32 (El Vendrell-Margrat de Mar) are now toll-free, the platform will make a slow march over the AP-7 on the final toll collection day, August 31. This march will start and end in Salou.
