Costa del Toll – Government hikes AP-7 fee 62%

Marbella’s local government, led by spokesperson Enrique Rodríguez, has urged the central government to conduct a feasibility study into freeing up the AP-7 Costa del Sol toll road while condemning a 62 per cent toll price hike for the summer season.

Speaking at a press conference, Rodríguez labelled the AP-7 tolls as ‘Spain’s most expensive’, calling the increase ‘abusive and shameful’ and accusing the government of ‘strangling’ residents and workers in the region.

Rodríguez revealed that, starting June 1, toll prices have surged significantly. The Calahonda stretch has risen from €5.50 to €8.90, while the San Pedro toll now exceeds €6. He provided a stark example: a worker commuting daily from San Pedro to Malaga would face monthly toll costs exceeding €500, totalling €1,500 over the summer. With Málaga’s average salary at €1,436, this represents over 30 per cent of a worker’s income, placing an enormously heavy financial burden on families.

The government is accused of making money from the Costa del Sol toll roads

The spokesperson criticised the central government for profiting over €30 million annually from the AP-7 tolls without reinvesting in Costa del Sol’s infrastructure, such as by extending the train link from Fuengirola. The A-7 Mediterranean Motorway, a free alternative, is becoming increasingly congested from Marbella through Cancellada. This forces residents to use the expensive AP-7 and increases government revenue.

Rodríguez also pointed out regional disparities, noting that toll roads in Galicia, Alicante, and León receive substantial subsidies or liberalisation, while the Costa del Sol is neglected year after year.

In 2024, the Ministry of Transport promised to explore a discount system for AP-7 tolls and proposed €1 million in subsidies following meetings with Costa del Sol mayors. However, Rodríguez lamented that these discounts will not apply this summer, leaving commuters without relief. Marbella council is now demanding the full liberalisation of the AP-7 and, in the interim, a stronger discount system more like those in Galicia and León. Rodríguez called for an initial study to assess the economic feasibility of liberalisation, including the costs of compensating the infrastructure’s operator or developing new roads.