According to a government decree, tolls on the former SCUT in the interior and Algarve will be reduced by up to 30% for passenger cars from this Monday, compared to prices until December 31.
According to the government, these new discounts apply to sections and sub-sections of Highway 22 (formerly SCUT do Algarve or Via do Infante), Highway 23 (in the Beira hinterland), Highway 24 (in the northern hinterland) and Highway 25 ( in Beira). Littoral)./Beira Alta).
They now also have the same conditions for reducing toll rates on the former SCUT internal roads, sections and subsections of Highway 4 (A4) Transmontana and Tunnel do Marão, as well as Highway 13 (A13) and A13-1 in the interior area Pinhala.
The Ministry of Territorial Unity (MTU) said the reduction is about 30% compared to prices in force at the end of 2023 for passenger cars and 22.6% for freight and passenger transport during the day.
At night, weekends and holidays, prices for freight and passenger transport remain the same as last year.
These reduction values do not take into account increases resulting from inflation, as provided for in current concession agreements.
According to the government, the reduction will be most felt on the A4 Transmontana and Tunel do Marão motorways, as well as the A13 and A13-1 Pinhal Interior motorways, as “they were not covered by the latest price reduction in 2021.”
These highways were considered free user roads (SCUTs) until 2011, when motorists began paying for them.
According to the MST, discounts for users of these roads, which began in 2021, reached 50% in 2023 relative to the price charged when payments began in 2011.
Thus, relative to 2011, the discount applied from this Monday reduces “the current 50% to 65%, which represents a reduction of approximately 30% compared to today’s prices.”
“The same rationale applies to the transport of goods and passengers, although these classes of vehicles already have different and more significant reduction values,” the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion explained in a note.
Thus, according to the MST, the reduction determined in 2021 and in effect until the end of 2023 was already 57.5% during the day and 70% at night, on weekends and holidays compared to 2011 values.
With the new ruling, the reduction will increase from 57.5% to 65%, representing a reduction of approximately 22.6% compared to 2023 prices, while the 70% reduction at night will remain unchanged.