Skip to main content

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.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • IBTTA summit hits right notes in Salzburg
    December 5, 2018
    In the birthplace of Mozart, Colin Sowman found that delegates at the IBTTA’s inaugural World Tolling Summit were playing a variety of interesting tunes The first World Tolling Summit took place in Salzburg, Austria this autumn. Created and organised by the International Bridge Tolling and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), the event was supported by its European counterpart Asecap and hosted by Austria’s tolling authority, Asfinag. The transfer of views, experience and practice both ways across the Atl
  • Varying acceptance of tolling in Africa
    January 6, 2016
    Tolling technology is now at an advanced state but governments have a key role in ensuring the success of schemes as is evident in Africa. Shem Oirere reports. According to the African Development Bank, the continent has an estimated $46bn of infrastructure financing deficit. The bank says sub-Saharan Africa requires $93bn annually to meet its infrastructure development needs - but only half of the financing is available.
  • Varying acceptance of tolling in Africa
    January 6, 2016
    Tolling technology is now at an advanced state but governments have a key role in ensuring the success of schemes as is evident in Africa. Shem Oirere reports. According to the African Development Bank, the continent has an estimated $46bn of infrastructure financing deficit. The bank says sub-Saharan Africa requires $93bn annually to meet its infrastructure development needs - but only half of the financing is available.
  • Mexico expands free-flow tolling’s boundaries
    June 14, 2017
    Mexico is implementing one of the world’s largest remote tolling systems backed by Indra’s technology. By Andrew Bardin Williams. Mexico recently implemented one of the largest remote toll systems in the world, covering 4,000km of the country’s public highways. Deployed and maintained by Spanish consulting and technology company Indra, in cooperation with the public utility Caminos y Puentes Federales (CAPUFE), the system allows drivers to pay tolls without stopping by using a TAG electronic device installe