Autostrada Ligure Toscana: fine of 700,000 euros for disruption Autostrada Ligure Toscana: fine of 700,000 euros for disruption

THE speed limits reduced on the SALT motorway (company of Ligurian-Tuscany motorways) they found themselves at the center of an investigation by the Competition and Market Authority. The operator was criticized for not reducing motorway tolls or not refunding them, in proportion to the limited use bylowered speed limits, adopted for infrastructure upgrading works. The antitrust provision consists of a fine of 700 thousand euros. Here are the story details.

THE ANTITRUST INVESTIGATION INTO A11 AND A12 DECREASES

The Antitrust writes in bulletin n. 19 of May 22, 2023 that the preliminary investigation procedure against Società Autostrade Ligure Toscana was opened following the reports received regarding “critical road conditions” found on the Sestri Levante/La Spezia motorway axis managed by defined SALTs “insistent” on the A/12 in both directions. According to Antitrust, SALT has created significant inconvenience for consumers and dramatically increased travel times, in the absence of adjustment, reduction and suspension of the required quid pro quo such as a highway toll.

SPEED LIMITS TO 60 KM/H ON LIGURIAN TUSCANY MOTORWAYS

Antitrust investigations have established that during the period between January 2020 and May 2021have been found for long periods:

• discounts motorway lanes;
• closures traffic lanes;
• specific limitations of the maximum authorized speed of 60 km/h compared to the expected 100-110 km/h.

“These problems were mainly due to the tunnel adaptation works insisting on the layout (..). However, consumers, in exchange for payment of the requested fee, expected the provision of a service (in terms of travel speed) which did not correspond to what was actually used”. In some cases, the average movement speed is even much lower than the lower limit. “In more than forty cases in 2020 and in around twenty cases over the period January-May 2021, there are situations where average monthly speeds settling below 60 km/h, reaching minimum peaks, in certain circumstances, just above 20 km/h”reports the Guarantor Authority.

TUSCANY LIGURIAN MOTORWAY: MORE THAN 300 MILLION REVENUE FROM TOLLS

Considering the economic damage caused to transport companies by the delays, as well as the inconvenience for private users, the Antitrust has defined a business practice that of SALT is erroneous within the meaning of articles 20, 24 and 25 of the Consumer Code. Considering that over the period under review, revenues from motorway management amounted to:

• more than €180 million in 2021 and approximately €144 million in 2020;
• that I net toll revenue They were 175.165 million euros in 2021 and €140.508 million in 2020;

the Antitrust has decided to grant SALT Società Autostrade Ligure Toscana a sanction financial administration of €700,000.