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TOLL ROADS NETWORK GROWTH IN 2008
Throughout 2008, no new stretches were opened. The Spanish motorway network financed through the toll system remained at a length of 3,334.50 km.
The following section (toll-free sections included) that belongs to a project awarded by the Central Government is under construction:
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The section of Alto de las Pedrizas- Torremolinos, a 37 km stretch
On top of that, we should add about 40 km of toll motorways under construction awarded by the Regional Governments:
- M-203 in Madrid (12.3 km)
- Autopista Eibar – Vitoria in the Basque Country (27.7 km) .
In addition to the abovementioned there should be pinpointed that there are new State-level-toll-projects under research such as:
- “Autopista Dos- Mares” (Two Seas Motorway) between Cantabria and Burgos, a 111 km stretch
- “Autopista Radial 1” (Radial 1 Motorway) a 85 km section between Northern Madrid metro area and Segovia
- The enlargement of “Autopista Radial 3” up to Cuenca (52 km).
EUROVIGNETTE DIRECTIVE
On 29th June 2006 Eurovignette Directive was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Directive establishes a common tolling system for trucks heavier than 3.5 tons, and pinpoints the obligation of penalizing with the highest tolls the most polluting vehicles. From now on, the directive states harmonized criteria to calculate the tolls, based on infrastructure construction and maintenance costs, to be apply to the Trans-European Road Network.
The new legal framework will not apply to current concessions, such as the ones in Spain and France (infrastructures built by private initiative that are financed by tolling exploitation), as long as those systems continue into effect not suffering any substantial change. Regarding new concessions, tolling should be equal or inferior to the one suggested in the Directive annexes.
Due to existing conflicts regarding the feasibility of implementing such a Directive to each of the Member States legal frameworks, The European Commission has planned a “Eurovignette Directive” review next June, with the aim of incorporating to the current system of charging based on infrastructure costs, the external cost or externalities, which in the case of freight transport are very high. Moreover, it is planned to enlarge the scope to the whole road network, earmarking the revenues to improve overall transportation. The main external costs are: climatic change, air pollution, accidents, noise and congestion.
Directive
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EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE ON INTEROPERABILITY FOR ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION
The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union approved in April 2004 the Directive on the widespread introduction and interoperability of electronic road toll systems within the European Community. The purpose of such Directive is to implement the regulatory frame and tools ensuring the deployment of a European ETC service.
The European Commission is currently working in defining a European Electronic Toll Service that will be take the form of a Decision. From then on, a 3 year and a 5 year deadline will start to offer the service to heavy vehicles and the rest respectively.
That Directive has been passed to the Spanish Law by Real Decreto 94/2006 February 3rd Regulation of interoperability of Electronic Tolling Collection systems implemented in state toll roads.
Real
Decreto Text (in Spanish)
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directive
TUNNEL SAFETY DIRECTIVE
The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have passed a Directive on minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the Trans-European Road Network. Experts of toll concessionaires participated actively in its negotiation.
Directive Text
DIRECTIVE ON ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE SAFETY MANAGEMENT PROJECT
The European Commission has presented a proposal for a Directive on Road Infrastructure Safety Management, in order to ensure that infrastructure makes its contribution to improving road safety and reducing mortality and accidents on the Trans-European Road Network of the Union.
Proposal for a Directive
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