Motorways: from June toll reimbursement for queues, how to do it

Starting from June the reimbursement of tolls for traffic blocking or construction-related delays on the network, with motorists who will be able to obtain compensation directly from motorway operators for inefficiencies suffered during travel. He remembers it Codaconswhich underlines the important news coming for citizens but also highlights the critical issues of the new measures.

The refund provisions introduced by resolution 211/2025 of the Transport Regulatory Authorityexplains Codacons, will become operational by June 1st but, in this first phase, as regards construction site delays, they will only affect inefficiencies on routes that are entirely on routes managed by the same concessionaire. Refunds for construction sites on routes managed by multiple concessionaires will instead take effect by December 1, 2026.

Rules, times and calculation of refunds

For routes with a length of less than 30 km, the right to reimbursement, the association points out, is independent of the delay; for those with a length between 30 and 50 km the reimbursement is activated if the delay exceeds 10 minutes; for journeys longer than 50 km the delay must be at least 15 minutes. The amount of reimbursements is calculated on the basis of the coefficients established by the Authority, and takes into account a component relating to the impact of the construction sites present on the route taken by the user where the construction sites are present, as well as an incremental component calculated according to the hourly deviation generated by the construction sites present on the same route.

However, there are exceptions which void the right to reimbursement, which is not due if a general reduction in the toll is already foreseen on the route; in the case of emergency construction sites (following accidents, extraordinary and unpredictable weather or hydrogeological events, rescue activities); in an initial period of application of the measures, mobile construction sites will also be excluded from the reimbursement mechanism. Refunds above 10 cents will be credited and paid starting from the sum of 1 euro.

The reimbursement, Codacons further underlines, will be equal to 50% of the toll if traffic is blocked for between 60 and 119 minutes; by 75% for blocks lasting between 120 and 179 minutes; 100% in the event of a block exceeding 180 minutes. The refunds are valid for all motorists, and those who have season tickets will be able to withdraw from the contracts if road works reduce the usability of the usual route and obtain the return of the unused part of the season ticket – highlights the association – the dealer must also guarantee multiple channels for sending the refund request, including at least a specific section of the website, as well as a telephone number or physical assistance points for the delivery or sending of the same.

Within 20 days of the request, the concessionaire communicates the reasoned rejection, or acceptance of the same, and the amount to be paid as a refund. Furthermore, the Art resolution provided for the creation of a single App for all managers to submit refund requests, an application which, however, is not yet available at the moment.

Codacons’ complaint: refunds paid with price increases

The most critical aspect of this revolution, however, concerns the possibility for motorway companies to fully recover the cost of reimbursements granted by increasing toll rates – reports Codacons – As foreseen by Art, in fact, due to construction delays, operators will be able to recover 100% of the expenditure incurred until 2027 (75% in 2028, 50% in 2029 and 25% in 2030), while the reimbursements linked to the blocking of traffic can be entirely recovered by the concessionaires through the toll if the concessionaire demonstrates force majeure, compliance with the information constraints and the adoption of all measures necessary to overcome the event. In essence, – he concludes – it will be the motorists themselves, through motorway tolls, who will pay out of their own pockets the reimbursements granted for delays and traffic blockages.