Isabel Pardo de Vera, the Minister of State for Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda, raised the idea of a progressive system that would weigh each user’s ability to pay, potentially applying tolls on all highways across the country.
Speaking before a House of Representatives committee to present the General State Budget for 2023, Pardo de Vera described the current road-financing model as unsustainable, citing a deficit of 9,000 million euros as a key data point.
She argued that the existing arrangement cannot endure indefinitely. If there were a cross-party pact that transcended election cycles, the issue could be resolved. She cautioned against political theater, stressing that Congress should not be treated as a jungle, and emphasized the need for real, long-term solutions.
The minister also signaled a preference for designing free public transit, a policy already implemented in Cercanías and Media Distancia since September, to address equity concerns. She noted that a progressive approach to taxes could help ensure that those who can afford to pay contribute proportionally, while those with lower incomes receive assistance with ticket costs.
Yet the special circumstances of the moment demanded swift action. Extending free travel without considering everyone’s income would be imprudent, she said, and attributed the progress toward tolls as a step toward a broader, more progressive framework. She reiterated that any measures should come from a genuinely progressive perspective, not from short-term political gain.
Regardless of timing, the minister asserted that a comprehensive model would be presented once there is sufficient political consensus. The criteria guiding this proposal would include land use, equality and security, she explained.
Looking ahead to next year’s General State Budget, the government plans to allocate close to 2,700 million euros to maintain and expand the state road network, representing about a 9% increase from the previous year with a particular emphasis on road maintenance. The aim remains to ensure that the road network is financially sustainable and capable of supporting maintenance needs even through political and economic fluctuations.
The government underscored its obligation to design a system that finances itself over time, absorbs the external costs of road transport, maintains the entire network, and supports modernization toward an electrified transport future. This vision centers on securing reliable funding, improving infrastructure resilience, and advancing mobility for all citizens.