Leiria Commuters Face €60 Monthly Toll Spike While Roadworks Drag On

The Intermunicipal Community of Leiria (CIM Leiria) has asked President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to step in after the state‐funded toll holiday on the A8 and A19 expired on 15 February—an end that will immediately raise travel costs for drivers who still lack safe alternative roads.

Why This Matters

• Higher commuting bills: From last Sunday a daily Leiria–Marinha Grande round-trip on the A8 adds roughly €3, or €60 a month, to a worker’s budget.

• Businesses under pressure: Logistics operators moving between the IC2 worksites and the Port of Aveiro warn of a €250,000 annual hit in extra tolls.

• Roadworks not done: Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) says repairs on the IC2 and EN242 will run until at least 30 June 2026.

• Refund scheme brewing: Councils are drafting a system that would let residents submit toll receipts for cash-back—but the money is not yet secured.

How We Got Here

Storm Kristin tore across central Portugal six weeks ago, washing away embankments and flooding the free national roads that normally parallel the tolled A8 and A19. In a bid to keep the economy moving, the Portugal Cabinet suspended tolls on several motorway segments from 3 February until the national state of calamity ended. That emergency decree lapsed at midnight on 15 February, snapping toll gantries back to life even though bulldozers are still clearing debris on the IC2 and EN242.

Local leaders argue the timing is illogical. “We are reopening the cash register before we reopen the roads,” Leiria mayor Gonçalo Lopes told reporters. The ten municipalities inside CIM Leiria insist the exemption should run at least until the alternative routes regain minimum safety and 80 km/h travel speeds, targets IP says will only be met in early summer.

The Financial Numbers

Running the toll holiday for another 4½ months is not pocket change:

• €2.5 M—estimated loss of revenue on the A8 (Leiria Sul–Pousos)

• €0.7 M—projected cost on the A19 (Azoia–São Jorge)

Lisbon declined to keep paying, citing budget ceilings set in the 2026 State Budget. CIM Leiria counters that the combined amount is “less than 0.05 % of the €2.5 B disaster aid package” the Government already announced for storm damage nationwide.

Sticking Points in Lisbon

Parliament did pass a narrower measure: heavy lorries remain exempt between São Jorge and Leiria Sul on the A19 and between Leiria Sul and Pousos on the A8—a clause inserted to protect the UNESCO-listed Mosteiro da Batalha from vibrations. Passenger cars, motorcycles and vans were left out, the gap that now fuels the local uproar.

President Marcelo signalled sympathy but stopped short of decreeing fresh relief, suggesting instead that a new calamity fund be created. Without a presidential or cabinet order, the only viable path is a local workaround. Under the draft regulation seen by Renascença, drivers would:

Pay the toll as usual.

Upload the electronic receipt to a CIM Leiria portal.

Receive a bank transfer within 30 days once Brussels-compliant state-aid rules are checked.

Municipal treasurers say they can advance the cash, yet warn they will need co-funding from the Infrastructure Ministry and the highway concessionaires to keep the scheme solvent beyond June.

What This Means for Residents

• Commuters: Expect higher monthly travel costs starting now. If the refund platform launches in March as hoped, keep every Via Verde line-item; you will need it for reimbursement.

• Small firms: Delivery fleets should update pricing models; toll expenses can be billed to CIM Leiria later but only with full digital invoices.

• Property owners near the EN242 works should brace for continued dust, detours and night-time construction until at least 30 June.

• Tourism operators: Trips to the Mosteiro da Batalha can still route via the toll-free lorry window, but coaches carrying tourists must pay unless further exemptions are negotiated.

Next Steps and Timeline

Date | Milestone-----|-----------20 Feb | CIM Leiria votes on the final text of the reimbursement by-law1 Mar | Target launch of the online claims portal (subject to funding)30 Jun | IP deadline for finishing IC2 and EN242 repairs; toll aid expected to end15 Jul | External audit to review whether the exemption influenced traffic distribution and pollution levels around Batalha monastery

If the councils fail to secure outside money, they warn they may have to cap refunds or close the scheme early. For now, Leirienses will be paying upfront and waiting for the political process to decide whether they ever see that cash back.