Plan to nationalise and toll Madrid’s loss-making free motorways

The Spanish Ministry of Development is considering nationalising the loss-making radial motorways in Madrid through state-owned company Seittsa. The plan would involve putting in place a toll-payment system to generate revenues to pay interests on debts and maintenance of the roads. The Ministry has already detected 600 locations where remote controlled payment systems could be installed in Madrid to charge those using the roads. The same plan includes a project to nationalise all motorways in Madrid at ris
July 2, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The 6072 Spanish Ministry of Development is considering nationalising the loss-making radial motorways in Madrid through state-owned company Seittsa. The plan would involve putting in place a toll-payment system to generate revenues to pay interests on debts and maintenance of the roads. The Ministry has already detected 600 locations where remote controlled payment systems could be installed in Madrid to charge those using the roads. The same plan includes a project to nationalise all motorways in Madrid at risk of default: four radial roads, plus the AP-41 (Madrid-Toledo), and the M-12 (Airport Axis). Seittsa would pay a token US$1.25 for each of them and it would assume their debts. Radial No2 is being operated by 4419 Ferrovial and it has debts of over US$530 million, while radials Nos 3 and 5 are in the hands of Abertis and bear a debt of US$820 million. Radial no 4 is being run by Ferrovial and 6074 Sacyr and has a debt of US$700 million. Moreover, Isolux, Comsa and Azvi operate the AP-41 and it has filed for administration after registering US$462 million debts, and the M-12, which is run by 6073 OHL, recorded US$350 debts.
Charging, Tolling & RUC

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Key airport link open in US
    May 17, 2012
    The new Richmond Airport connector link road is now open to traffic. The link provides a direct connection from the Pocahontas 895 highway to Richmond International Airport and cuts journey time on this route. This 2.5km road is an extension of the Pocahontas 895 highway and links directly to Airport Drive at Charles City Road. The new road can save drivers around 10 minutes or more on a trip to the airport, especially those coming from Chesterfield County and the Tri-Cities area. Customers using the Airpor
    Read More
  • Mexico and the US slow to adopt ETC interoperability
    April 12, 2013
    Splinteroperability is a word devised by Travis P. Dunn and Victor J. Michelet C. to encapsulate the lack of progress towards ETC harmonisation in the US and Mexico. Five thousand miles of tolled roads and bridges. Widespread implementation of electronic toll collection (ETC) systems. One dominant interoperable ETC service provider covering just over half the nation’s toll facilities. Numerous other ETC service providers offering alternative visions of interoperability. Years of customer requests for better
    Read More
  • Towards intelligent road infrastructure
    October 8, 2021
    A digital transformation is happening in the world today and the result is that Europe’s transport infrastructure, and also the car industry are experiencing revolutionary changes. Jēkabs Krastiņš looks at the challenges and plots the road ahead.
    Read More
  • Mobility pricing offers new tools for managing mobility
    November 23, 2017
    Mobility pricing is the best way of sustaining and enhancing mobility, argues Moving Forward Consulting’s Josef Czako. Mobility pricing (MP) is effectively the culmination of the ‘user pays’ principle and has been referred to in many policy discussions about electronic toll collection, road user charging (RUC), and pricing. MP not only reflects the ‘use more, pay more’ nature of RUC, it also takes account of the external cost of journeys including pollution, noise, the cost of congestion and accidents.
    Read More

Highlighted Content