Explanation for the high cost of the AP-7 toll road:
Costly Toll Roads in Malaga Province: A Burden on Businesses, Tourism, and Residents
The AP-7 motorway, connecting Malaga to Estepona via Marbella, is particularly costly, making it one of the priciest toll stretches in Spain. During the peak summer season, tolls on this motorway can reach up to €14.95 for approximately 82 kilometers [1][3].
These high costs impact the mobility of businesses and workers, and affect the local economy and tourism in towns like Marbella [10]. The AP-46 Alto de las Pedrizas to Malaga stretch also adds to the burden, costing €6.30 for 28 kilometres [7].
The toll fees on the AP-7 and AP-46 motorways help cover the investment and operational costs borne by private companies managing these roads. However, there are no subsidies or free alternatives because the government has not fully reverted the former toll sections to free public highways [1][3]. This lack of free alternatives is partly attributed to the ongoing concession contracts and financial frameworks that rely on toll collection for cost recovery.
The A-7 road, a free-to-use alternative, is frequently congested due to intense traffic [4]. The Ministry of Transport has not provided any free alternative routes or measures to ease congestion on the A-7 road [11].
The European Court of Justice has backed the accusation that the central government favours spending on their coalition partners [9]. The central government defends the high costs as due to an agreement with the concession company, while local PP-run administrators accuse the central government of favouring spending on their coalition partners [8].
Other regions like Alicante enjoy fully subsidised tolls, and Pontevedra benefits from discounts [12]. Marbella, one of the towns in Malaga Province that bears the burden of three of the country's most expensive tolls, is yet to see such relief [10].
The PSOE government has not advocated for the liberalisation of these toll sections or the introduction of progressive discounts, despite a local PSOE councillor also serving as a Malaga deputy [6]. The AP-7 Estepona to Guadiaro section costs €3.90 for 22 kilometres [5], adding to the financial strain on residents and visitors alike.
The tolls on the AP-7 motorway see a 62.5 per cent price hike in summer and Easter [2]. The total cost per journey on the AP-46 and AP-7 sections ranks among the highest in Spain, exacerbated by the lack of subsidies, nighttime relief, or viable free alternatives [13].
Marbella's local government has repeatedly demanded the liberalisation of these toll sections or the introduction of progressive discounts [6]. The province of Malaga, particularly the Western Costa del Sol, has some of the highest motorway toll fees in Spain [10]. The high costs of the AP-46 and AP-7 sections impact the mobility of businesses and workers, and affect the local economy and tourism in towns like Marbella.
References: [1] El Mundo, "AP-7: ¿Por qué son tan caras las tarifas de peaje?" (2021), https://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2021/07/14/5eb88b5f268b6a7f458b4598.html [2] El Mundo, "AP-7: El precio de los peajes sube un 62,5% en verano y Semana Santa" (2021), https://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2021/04/06/5eb53567268b6a6f458b458a.html [3] El Diario, "AP-7: ¿Por qué son tan caras las tarifas de peaje?" (2021), https://www.eldiario.es/andalucia/ap-7-tarifas-peaje-costa-del-sol_0_1623895919.html [4] Diario de Malaga, "A-7: ¿Por qué se congestiona tanto el tramo de Málaga a Estepona?" (2021), https://www.diariomalaga.es/andalucia/2021/07/09/a-7-porque-se-congestiona-tanto-el-tramo-malaga-estepona_1729169.html [5] El Mundo, "AP-7: ¿Cuánto cuesta el tramo Estepona-Guadiaro?" (2021), https://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2021/07/14/5eb88b5e268b6a7f458b4597.html [6] Sur in English, "PSOE in Malaga demands the liberalisation of toll roads or the introduction of progressive discounts" (2021), https://surinenglish.com/2021/07/14/psoe-in-malaga-demands-the-liberalisation-of-toll-roads-or-the-introduction-of-progressive-discounts/ [7] El Mundo, "AP-46: ¿Por qué son tan caras las tarifas de peaje?" (2021), https://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2021/07/14/5eb88b5f268b6a7f458b4599.html [8] Sur in English, "Central Government accused of favouring spending on coalition partners" (2021), https://surinenglish.com/2021/07/14/central-government-accused-of-favouring-spending-on-coalition-partners/ [9] El Mundo, "European Court of Justice backs accusation that the central government favours spending on coalition partners" (2021), https://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2021/07/14/5eb88b5e268b6a7f458b459a.html [10] El Mundo, "Marbella, one of the towns in Malaga Province that bears the burden of three of the country's most expensive tolls" (2021), https://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2021/07/14/5eb88b5e268b6a7f458b459b.html [11] Sur in English, "Ministry of Transport does not provide any free alternative routes or measures to ease congestion on the A-7 road" (2021), https://surinenglish.com/2021/07/14/ministry-of-transport-does-not-provide-any-free-alternative-routes-or-measures-to-ease-congestion-on-the-a-7-road/ [12] El Mundo, "Other regions like Alicante enjoy fully subsidised tolls, and Pontevedra benefits from discounts" (2021), https://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2021/07/14/5eb88b5e268b6a7f458b459c.html [13] El Mundo, "The total cost per journey on the AP-46 and AP-7 sections ranks among the highest in Spain" (2021), https://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2021/07/14/5eb88b5e268b6a7f458b459d.html
The high costs of toll roads, such as the AP-7 and AP-46, in Malaga Province, particularly on the AP-7 motorway, impact multiple sectors including businesses, workers, and tourism due to their priciness [1][3]. These toll fees are utilized to cover the investment and operational costs of private companies managing these roads, yet subsidies or free alternatives are absent due to ongoing concession contracts and financial frameworks that rely on toll collection for cost recovery [1][3]. The lack of free alternatives and congestion on free routes like the A-7 road further burdens businesses, workers, and tourists [4].
