The Council of Ministers has approved the Royal Decree on rebates for the AP-9 Atlantic highway, which provides for the largest reduction in history.
Article continues below
The new scheme will encourage the use of infrastructure, Galicia's main communication and economic development route, with the aim of improving safety and reducing congestion and accident rates on roads that offer stricter travel conditions.
The new Royal Decree, which will come into force the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette, will allow 15 million annual transits to have their toll eliminated or reduced thanks to the fact that it introduces discounts and bonuses in the 219.6 kilometers that link Tui and Ferrol.
Until now it was only possible to make trips without paying tolls in the 36.6 kilometers of the ring roads that are free, in the 14.2 km with bonuses (shadow tolls) and in the 61 km of the province of Pontevedra that already had the Free return on the day from Monday to Saturday for light vehicles, as long as it is paid with electronic toll (111.8 km in total).
With the new regulations, a series of toll reduction measures are implemented for light vehicles that circulate on the AP-9 in normal conditions, with the aim of reducing the cost of using this vehicle for the vast majority of users. infrastructure.
Thus, one of the great differences with the previous discounts is that the deadline for making the return trip is extended from the calendar day to 24 hours and that Sundays and holidays are added.
In addition, new bonuses are added for heavy vehicles.
Light vehicles
All return journeys made within a maximum period of 24 hours are free. The 100% bonus on the way back to the point of origin will be applied every day of the week, including holidays. The return route must be the same as the outward route.
Additional discount of 50% of the outward journey for those users who make, within a maximum period of 24 hours, two equal routes (with the same origin and destination) and in the opposite direction within the Puxeiros (Vigo) -Tui section and vice versa, on working days and holidays.
Free access from Redondela. 100% discount (origin / destination Rande-Vigo), for those who make round trips (same origin and destination and opposite directions) within a maximum period of 24 hours between them, on weekdays and holidays.
Recurrence Discount of 20% of the amount paid on all trips made in a month, counting from the initial trip, for those vehicles that make more than 20 trips in that period. The set of routes made on the same day and in the same direction of circulation, whatever the partial entries and exits recorded within it, will be counted as a displacement.
All bonuses and discounts will be applied to vehicles that use electronic toll collection as a means of payment.
In this way, thanks to this Royal Decree, 8.4 million transits that light vehicles make per year on payment roads will be free, compared to 3.5 million. In this sense, it is expected to reach 10 million free transits in 2028.
Heavy vehicles
Discount of 20% of the amount of the toll on all routes.
Free access from Redondela: 100% discount for internal routes on the Redondela-Vigo section (origin / destination Rande-Vigo), including access to the port of Vigo.
The bonuses for heavy vehicles will be applied without any conditions, since they are available every day of the week (business days and holidays) and for any toll payment system. ■