Spanish call for more toll roads

Until now, Spain has strongly opposed charging for road use and has been an opponent of efforts to make the Eurovignette directive stricter. But with national funds severely limited by the economic downturn, the road building industry looks to have embraced the idea of charging lorries for road use, and possibly even cars. The construction industry is very powerful in Spain, and as Spain would need EU money to part-fund any road schemes, it remains to be seen whether Spain’s attitude to the Eurovignette negotiations will now soften.