The mayor of Pilar de la Horadada has renewed calls for the AP-7 motorway toll to be scrapped following another increase in charges, warning that the rising cost is hitting residents, workers and tourists.
Mayor José María Pérez said the latest hike has made routine journeys to Alicante increasingly expensive, despite the toll being permanently removed on other stretches of the same motorway. While the AP-7 bypass around Alicante became toll-free in December 2025, Pilar de la Horadada remains excluded.
According to Pérez, the high-season toll for light vehicles — including cars, motorcycles and vans — has risen to €5.10, compared with less than €5 previously. In low season, drivers now pay €2.85. High season applies from June to September, as well as during the Easter holiday period.
He warned that the cost of travelling to Alicante now totals €20.40 for a relatively short distance, calling it “a heavy burden” for daily users. The mayor also raised concerns about knock-on effects on road safety and emergency access, particularly to Torrevieja Hospital, as drivers increasingly avoid the toll by using the N-332.
This diversion, he said, is placing added strain on roads through Torrevieja and San Miguel de Salinas.
Pilar de la Horadada Town Council is now coordinating with neighbouring municipalities to demand the toll’s removal and has contacted the Ministry of Roads to seek a solution. Pérez described the situation as “an injustice” for the town, noting that the concession runs until 2048 and disproportionately affects local residents.
