Class 1 will cover more vehicles. Government has already decided how

The news is advanced by Agência Lusa, revealing that the Government of António Costa has just approved, at the Council of Ministers this Thursday, an increase in the parameters that govern the application of classes 1 and 2, that is, the payment values ​​in tolls.

According to information released by the Executive, the maximum height of the bonnet, measured vertically to the front axle, for the purposes of payment for Class 1, goes from the current 1.10 m to 1.30 m.

At the same time, the maximum allowable weight (gross weight) to pay the lowest amount on national highways is now 2300 kg inclusive, regardless of the number of seats.

However, in order for the lower value to be applied, it is also necessary for vehicles to comply with the “EURO 6 environmental standard for car emissions”.

The diploma adapts the national regulatory framework to European legislation on road safety and the environmental sustainability of transport, promoting consistency in the treatment given to motorway users.”

Decree-law approved by the Council of Ministers

Decision meets the industry's wishes

It should be recalled that the amendment to the diploma that adjusts classes 1 and 2 of vehicles, for the purpose of applying toll tariffs per kilometer of motorway, was a demand that has long been expressed by car manufacturers and importers, operating in the Portuguese market. .

Among the most heard voices was that of the French PSA, owner of the Citroën, Peugeot, DS and Opel brands, with a factory in Mangualde. A place where, in fact, it recently made an important investment, to be able to manufacture the new light commercial vehicles and MPV, Citroën Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Peugeot Rifter and Opel Combo.

However, since the vehicles, which are branches of the same base with the code name K9, are more than 1.10 m high in the area of ​​the front axle, they ran the risk of paying Class 2 tolls. What, then warned several company agents, would eventually lead to a sharp drop in expected sales, putting the factory's viability in question, with possible relocation of production to Spain. And the natural decrease in the number of jobs in Mangualde.

With the decision now taken by the Portuguese Government, not only one of the sector's demands is safeguarded, but also these jobs from the outset.