In front of the Landako Gunea building in Durango, where the PNV was holding a party event, citizen platforms promoting the toll-free status of the AP-8 and AP-68 highways, which connect Bizkaia with neighboring provinces, gathered.
Currently, the Iurreta-Abadiño section of the AP-8 is free, while the AP-68 discriminates against residents of municipalities such as Arrigorriaga, Orozko, and Ugao. "Why should residents of Orozko or Orduña pay for 12 kilometers if they are also from Bizkaia?", asks Kepa Alaña, spokesperson for one of the associations. They also recall that "a large number of heavy vehicles" use this route.
"We want them to be ashamed," explained Juan Carlos, another spokesperson. They believe that residents of Duranguesado, as well as those from the coast, Lekeitio, and Ondarroa, among others, are the ones who "finance Bizkaia's toll roads," something they have been doing for "53 years."
They recall that the Central Government transferred the highways "twenty-three years ago at zero cost," and yet, "they continue to charge us."
They cite the example that residents of Durango must pay 2.80 euros to reach Erletxes. "This is a long battle, we have been like this for eight years," they state. "With one of our mobilizations, we managed to get the Provincial Council to do the same as in Gipuzkoa and implement a flat rate, but even so, it costs almost 40 euros a month, and that is also paid only by those of us who live here," they comment.
The two platforms that organized the protest ask the provincial body to end this "inequality" affecting "22 kilometers." They believe it is a matter of revenue: "They already collect enough, 1 billion euros from taxes related to owning a car, and yet they spend 122 million on infrastructure; there is room, but this revenue stream is very attractive, and they want us to keep paying," they affirm.
Their spokespersons recall that the concession for the A-8 ends in "November." "It is a good time to reconsider their position," they insist. They point to neighboring regions as an example: "La Rioja has seen it as an opportunity to attract companies along the highway, to generate economic activity, to be attractive precisely because the costs will be lower for those companies," they propose.
The platform for the toll-free status of the A-8 and A-68 reminds that it is a "citizen's right to have safe, efficient, and ecological mobility, typical of the 21st century. Healthcare and education have improved... Why do we continue with mobility from another century?" they ask. "Our only option is the N-634 with 26,000 cars circulating and one lane in each direction. 32,000 travel on the highway, and there are four lanes," they point out.
They do not give up and warn that they will continue "the fight." For now, they have collected 8,500 signatures and have the support of merchant associations, cyclists, and unions such as LAB and UGT.
