Cartagena Mayor asks for tolls to be scrapped on AP-7 motorway for residents and holidaymakers

The Mayor of Cartagena asks the Ministry for free AP-7 for residents and holidaymakers after studying the benefits

The Mayor of Cartagena, Noelia Arroyo, has announced that she will send a letter to the Minister of Transport requesting the reduction and eventual elimination of tolls on the AP-7 between Cartagena and Vera.

This proposal, which will also be presented to the Cartagena Council Plenary in the form of a motion, comes after the data of the State Society of Land Transport Infrastructures (SEITT) that reveal benefits for the ministry if the operation of the motorway was made free to the public.

The south bound AP-7 is a key artery for Cartagena and its facilities plus other population hubs along its route including Mazarrón, Camposol, Águilas and Vera as it connects them faster with tourist and economic destinations such as Marbella, Málaga, Motril, and the entire coast of Almeria.

"It connects us not only to tourist markets, but also to important ports and is a fundamental alternative for freight traffic," said Arroyo.

A similar request was tabled by political leaders in Mazarrón and Águilas in 2020 and currently a temporary suspension of tariffs is in force on the AP-7 section which skirts Alicante. This section will be free to users from July 15 to October 15 and has resulted in a doubling of traffic travelling the route, but has also caused outrage in the Orihuela Costa, Murcia and Málaga at the government's decision not to scrap motorway charges further south.

"What we are asking for is nothing extraordinary," explained Arroyo. "It is a decision for justice for Cartagena, which continues to suffer the consequences of its railway isolation."

The Mayor's request includes immediate measures such as the reduction of rates and the elimination of tolls within the municipality of Cartagena to facilitate mobility between the city and its districts. In addition, she has requested that tolls be eliminated during weekends and holiday periods to boost tourism.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena