The Porto Regional Organization Directorate (DORP) of the PCP has issued a statement demanding the removal of tolls for all vehicles on the A41/CREP. This follows Monday’s announcement of toll exemptions for heavy goods vehicles during peak hours on the CREP. The PCP argues this would redirect transit avoiding Porto city center from the VCI to the A41.
The PCP recalls having submitted a proposal with similar initiatives in the State Budget currently under discussion. Additionally, they call for the construction of an internal regional ring road in Porto, utilizing parts of the A41, specifically its Douro crossing, to establish a link to the A4 near Ermesinde/Valongo.
Another suggestion involves restricting the passage of heavy vehicles on the VCI during morning and evening peak hours, unless their destination is Porto, as an alternative to tolling.
They also recommend creating rapid intervention teams for the VCI, equipped to handle incidents and breakdowns promptly to mitigate congestion impacting the city and neighboring municipalities.
The requalification of problematic junctions, particularly Francos and the A3 access, targeting safety and traffic flow, is also proposed.
On Monday, Miguel Pinto Luz, the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, announced at the headquarters of the Porto Metropolitan Area (AMP) that from March 1st, heavy vehicles will be exempt from tolls on the CREP during two specific periods: between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, and between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
At the same event, AMP and Porto City Council President Pedro Duarte indicated that additional measures concerning the VCI would be proposed to the Government by the end of the year, aiming for implementation on March 1st as well.
The PCP claims that traffic issues on the VCI have been studied and diagnosed for a long time, yet no substantial measures have been taken, only leading to discussions about potential tolls on the VCI, a proposal the PCP firmly rejects.
Viewing Monday’s announcement as superficial, the regional PCP leadership recalls statements by Miguel Pinto Luz, in September 2024, about a “definitive solution to traffic problems on the VCI” by the end of 2024. Additionally, in April 2025, a working group was announced with government, IP, AMP, and municipal representatives to develop specific measures to improve VCI traffic flow, with the aim of granting free CREP tolls for heavy goods vehicles by January 1, 2026.
The PCP insists on an integrated approach to address the traffic issue, emphasizing the necessity of public transport investment to reduce city center transit, citing current overcrowding on metro, train, and buses, especially during peak hours, alongside the need for long-promised new metro lines.
