Motorway Concessions in Spain

Abstract

Spain provides an example of extensive outsourcing by way of the use of concessions for discrete elements of the motorway network. It also provides examples of how the use of models for road provision can alter over time, and how legislation can be enacted that seeks to establish conditions for sharing risk, for protecting the public interest by guaranteeing quality, and for dealing with renegotiation. Since the late 1960s, more than 30 motorway concessions have been granted in Spain. In 2004, the length of the toll motorways already awarded totalled 3 257 kilometres, of which 2 788 were in operation and 470 under construction. The length of free motorways in 2004 was 10 500 kilometres. As Figure A.4 shows, the length of concessioned motorways in Spain is set to expand considerably, based on existing commitments.