A new call has been made to suspend “exorbitant” tolls on the Spanish AP-7 motorway in the Vega Baja in the province of Alicante after the government said the road would be toll-free until mid-October.

       The Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, announced on Monday that an “experiment” would be held to measure new traffic flows in an attempt to reduce congestion around the provincial capital.

       Alicante Provincial Council will now ask the Ministry to extend the suspension to the south of the area, according to the Olive Press.

       Marina Saez, the council vice president, said the request comes from Vega Baja mayors who have demanded that their “historic request” be listened to and that the “Pedro Sanchez Government should stop ignoring them”.

       “It is incomprehensible that the only toll road in the entire Valencian Community is the AP-7 between Los Montesinos and Villamartín-La Zenia,” said Saez.

       READ MORE: Tourist claims Europe’s top holiday destinations are ‘too crowded’ to enjoy

       “This harms not only residents but also the thousands of tourists who visit us- especially during the summer.”

       Just 6,000 vehicles use the AP-7 section per day. Saez stated that it is underused and “for just seven kilometres [4.3 miles], users must pay an exorbitant toll that exceeds nine euros [￡7.60]”.

       The franchise to run the Vega Baja tolls continues until 2048 and is operated by a different company to that which administers the Alicante AP-7 bypass - a publicly-owned firm - meaning that it is easier for the government to strike a deal.

       Don't miss...

       ‘I live in Barcelona and tourists have made the city unbearable’ [LATEST]

       ‘I live in Malaga and tourists are ruining the city’ [INSIGHT]

       Spanish locals erect fake warning signs near popular beaches to put tourists off [REPORT]

       The vast majority of locals shun the AP-7 and its charges in favour of the coastal N-332.

       Saez added: “The section between the Orihuela Costa beaches and Torrevieja is very congested and suffers continuous delays of several kilometres, especially in summer, with over 40,000 vehicles using it daily.

       “These same traffic jams occur on the CV-95, specifically in the last section on reaching Torrevieja and that could be resolved by eliminating the AP-7 toll,” she suggested.

       Previous calls for toll liberalisation from the likes of the Torrevieja mayor, Eduardo Dolon, have been ignored, with the Olive Press suggesting that the latest demand is likely to end up following the same route.