Lies, damned lies and statistics

The recent article relating to expensive toll roads in Malaga paints a picture of excessive tolls while the reality is that they are in fact even more expensive. The figures produced in the article by 'Automovilistas Europeos Asociados' are far removed from the truth and are at best misconceived and at worst blatantly inaccurate.

Those with a long memory will remember that Ferrovial (then Agroman Ferrovial) constructed the road during the 1990s and it became operative in June 1999. The company was granted a concession from the government to build, maintain and manage the toll road and in return for the initial investment was authorised to collect the revenues generated for a fixed period of time, (usually 50 or 75 years).

The company advertises the AP7/E15 as going from Malaga to Estepona and is apparently priced accordingly. However leaving Malaga to travel westwards to Fuengirola you can enter or leave the motorway anywhere since this stretch of road was built by the government many years earlier. Approaching Fuengirola there is a bifurcation in the road with the two inside lanes leading to Fuengirola and the coastal road, while the two outside lanes mark the actual beginning of the toll road with signs indicating 'Peaje'. Arriving in Marbella the toll road and the coast road merge at La Cañada and the single road (also built by the government and toll-free) continues around Marbella and at Nagüeles you have the option of continuing through the tunnel on the coast road or taking the toll road to San Pedro Alcántara and Estepona.

The cost per kilometre as set out in the article relates to a journey of 82 kilometres from Malaga to Estepona. In reality the toll road is only Fuengirola to the east of Marbella and the west of Marbella to Estepona. That is why tolls are only paid at Calahonda and San Pedro and why, upon entering these toll roads, it is impossible to leave without paying. On the other hand the Malaga to Fuengirola section along with the Marbella ring road were built by the state and can be left without charge by any of the slip roads.

Eliminating the road from Malaga to Fuengirola (32 kilometres) and the Marbella ring road (5 kilometres) means that the toll road is only 45 kilometres long and not 82 kilometres according to the study. Consequently the cost per kilometre rises significantly from 0.18 to 0.33 in high season and from 0.11 to 0.20 in low season. This makes it the third most expensive toll road in Spain rather than the tenth most expensive.

As a corollary to this revelation, much has been written about removing the toll on this road as a means to solve the problem of traffic congestion on the coast. Unfortunately this will never be achieved without compensating the loss of revenue to the company holding the concession for constructing the road.