The state will extend management of the Alicante ring road, AP-7, for another decade and will maintain toll rates for the coming year due to the current economic climate. This approach prevents re-tendering of the road, a process that was planned together with eight other highways in 2018 after the bankruptcy of several private concessionaires.
Specifically, the Council of Ministers approved the renewal of the agreement between the General State Administration and the State Road Transport Infrastructures Association (Seitt) for the ongoing stewardship of these corridors. The arrangement guarantees public control through 2032, offering a stable framework for long-term planning and investment in the ring road and its connected routes.
The new management framework for the recovered highways enables Seitt to finish pending investments and fine-tune its organization. The reform encompasses modernization actions, renewal and adaptation of tunnels, improved lighting, increased capacity, and the construction of connections, branches, or intersections to keep the infrastructure in top condition. The Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda lays out these digitization and sustainability measures aimed at safer, more efficient, and better-connected mobility.
Aerial view of the AP-7 highway. Alex Dominguez
Some of these actions will be financed through toll revenues and state contributions, with a ceiling of 128 million euros allocated between 2023 and 2025 to speed up implementation and close the funding gap that emerged in those years.
Fomento takes over the Alicante Ring Road
Beyond the Alicante ring road, Seitt operates several radial lines such as R-2 from Madrid to Guadalajara, R-3 to Arganda del Rey, R-4 to Ocaña, the Madrid Navalcarnero route, and R-5. It also runs the M-12 Axis Airport, AP-41 from Madrid to Toledo, AP-36 from Ocaña to La Roda, and AP-7 from Cartagena to Vera. The portfolio demonstrates a broad public role in national connectivity.
Freeze Rate
The Council of Ministers approved toll freezes for these corridors, citing the current economic situation. Since state takeover in 2018, toll prices have remained unchanged. The updated operating agreement will also allow discounts for environmental reasons or to improve service levels, reinforcing the government’s commitment to affordable, sustainable travel.
The Alicante ring road began operating in December 2007 with the aim of reducing congestion as it passes through the provincial capital. Ciralsa, a joint venture between ACS, Abertis, and Globalvía, acted as the concessionaire at opening. The initial expectations for traffic volumes followed the economic trajectory, with peak volumes recorded in 2008 and gradual declines as financial turmoil unfolded. Traffic dropped to about 5,303 vehicles per day in 2014, then rebounded after the worst years of the pandemic, reaching around 6,421 vehicles daily in recent times.
These fluctuations reflect broader economic conditions and the subsequent shift toward public ownership to stabilize and modernize the corridor while preserving access for users across the region.
The concessionaire of the Alicante ring road went bankrupt
Only five years after opening, Ciralsa faced bankruptcy, prompting the Ministry of Public Works to reclaim control of the road in 2018 and integrate it into Seitt. The change marked a turning point toward a fully public management model designed to safeguard essential infrastructure and public interests.
One of the toll points on the Alicante ring road; a reminder of the scale and reach of the project.
300 million rescue packages
If the highway remains under state control, the administration would need to compensate the original builders for the value of the completed, undepreciated work, a measure covering the financial responsibility for existing infrastructure. The latest Ministry of Transport assessment estimated Ciralsa-related obligations at approximately 302.7 million euros, with additional components for executed works, expropriations, and related costs.
The ministry’s figures break down to around 276.6 million for completed non-depreciated work and 74.1 million for expropriations, totaling over 350 million. Deductions apply for investments necessary to deliver facilities in normal operating condition, some works reaching 18 million, plus already paid compensations amounting to 15.6 million. The state may also need to reserve around 14.4 million for pending payments linked to expropriations, representing further fiscal responsibility assumed by public authorities.