Tolls on the A22

[Lesley Jean]

Having read the article about the tolls and the N125 being used more to avoid the tolls which are due to come into use from April, how will the car hire companies help out with this, will we have to pay the toll even tho' we have a property in the Algarve but hire a car? (they say that locals will be exempt) would like to hear from those that know how this is going to work.
http://www.theportugalnews.com/cgi-bin/ ... ?id=1099-1

[PTBUXTON]

I to would be intrested to know how they will incorperate the charges in to your car hire, plus how will it work?

[EMM]

If each hire car is fitted with a tag , then expect the hire car companies to deduct your toll charges from you credit card .
Or just charge you a fixed extra . they will certainly not lose out.

[laserblazer]

If each hire car is fitted with a tag , then expect the hire car companies to deduct your toll charges from you credit card .
Or just charge you a fixed extra . they will certainly not lose out.

Why should they lose out? As long as they don't charge management fees or the like on top.

If locals are exempt, I bet that won't count for ex-pats unless they are resident.

[EMM]

Where has it been confirned that locals will be exempt ??
That is not the case anywhere else in Portugal so why will the Algarve be any different.
We will stick to motorway in our hire car., will be even quieter and will avoid the jams and GNR road checks on the 125 picking up all the overstaying UK plated cars with varing degrees of legality. ( they will get picked up by the motorway sensors as well ).

[Steen Jakobsen]

I quote from earlier topic:

The model I've heard most likely to pass is that cars without the token (e.g. foreign cars, rental cars or Portuguese going very seldom) will have 5 days to declare and pay their motorway journey(s) in the post office or possibly on the Internet.

Failure to do so will make the authorities look up the owner of the registration plate and send the bill + a fine. The car rental companies need only provide details of the renter; a logistic nightmare as it will require a written reply, most likely for every client.

This being Portugal, plans can and will change several times....

Although there's nothing pleasant about a new tax it is less of a problem for those of you with a property and local bank account: You can purchase the Via Verde device, bring it when you fly over and use it in your rental car. Then be charged on your Portuguese bank account.

Now for the occasional tourist it will be a nightmare - and a huge blow to one of the few remaining industries in Portugal. It will of course be changed after a year or two. When the damage has been done.

[EMM]

If anyone has been following this thread on other forums they will have seen that getting hold of a via verde box is far from easy and cetainly few non residents will have the will, knowledge or patience to try and get one until the system is symplified.

Steen what is Algarve drivers and its suppliers planning to do ??

[sam]

Articles in press this week about the increase in road accidents on EN125 even before tolls introduced. Also local residents likely to be exempt for short while, but only temporary.

[Steen Jakobsen]

I've found this;

Electronic Tolls:
http://www.visitportugal.com/NR/exeres/ ... meless.htm

Foreign Vehicles:
http://www.estradas.pt/portagensestrangeiros

I understand the car rental companies are not allowed to charge for motorway use - and that they will not be hold responsible for clients having used the motorway (but are obliged to provide name and address).

[Steen Jakobsen]

Steen what is Algarve drivers and its suppliers planning to do ??

At this point we can only inform the clients and basically advise to avoid the motorway

..a worse show of disrespect towards foreign visitors is difficult to imagine, in particular in a region solely living of its tourists.

Hopefully a better solution will be found.

[e-richard]

So, if I understand it correctly, a visitor/tourist rents a car, and uses the motorway, then:
1. a ticket will be sent to the rental company
2. the rental company replies with name and address of hirer and the rental company is absolved of all responsibility
3. a demand for payment is sent to hirer's home address in UK, France, Germany, Lithuania or wherever.

What do you imagine will happen if the visitor fails to pay ?
Extradition ?

Steen is right. This is very poorly thought through.

[EMM]

From reading other articles the taxx is charged to the " vehicle " not the driver.
Therefore unless thay are to lose out the car hire companies will have no alternative other than to build the cost of tolls into their rates ??

[MaisieK]

This all sounds like a nightmare to me

[wedgepat]

I normally bring my own car from the U.K.for the winter months.If I use the A22 with no card who chases up any payment due? or am I put on record for the future, and then what happens. Are there any britsh consular officials who could help?

[Steen Jakobsen]

I normally bring my own car from the U.K.for the winter months.If I use the A22 with no card who chases up any payment due? or am I put on record for the future, and then what happens. Are there any British consular officials who could help?

Foreign Vehicles:
http://www.estradas.pt/portagensestrangeiros