Puente reignites toll debate: Roads are not free, they are funded by taxes or tolls

The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Oscar Puente, has reiterated that the project to tax the use of the toll road network is still active. Although the Government removed it from its list of commitments with the European Commission in September of last year, Minister Raquel Sánchez’s leadership in Transport does not seem to have definitively abandoned the idea. The project originally proposed the implementation of a toll system in 2024.

Puente emphasized the need for Spain to consider how it finances its roads, whether through taxes or tolls. He pointed out that roads are not free and that they are either paid for by users or through taxes. The minister invited political parties to reflect on this responsibility during the ‘Wake Up!’ forum from ‘El Español’. He highlighted the importance of making a decision on this matter.

The minister also discussed the inequality in the current system, where trucks traveling through different countries of the EU pay tolls except in Spain. The Government plans to implement a system that will affect all citizens, not just foreign transport companies. Currently, tolls are being removed from highways as contracts with operating companies expire, with a goal to create a uniform system.

Puente also mentioned the Sustainable Mobility Bill, which requires approval before the end of the year to receive funding from European sources. He called for consensus from all parties to move forward with the bill’s processing. The minister expressed his hope for broad support, especially from the two major parties in the country. He believes achieving consensus is not only desirable but also possible.