Brazil toll data indicates sharp fall in driving activity; Europe stable

London, (Quantum Commodity Intelligence) - Motorway toll data released Wednesday indicated driving activity in Brazil plummeted last week, with toll usage flipping to 10.7% below the 2019 level from 2.4% above the week prior.

The week to June 20 was the first time in eight weeks that toll usage slipped below 2019 levels across global motorway toll operating company Atlantia Group's 4,321 km of roads in the country.

Usage had averaged 4.6% for the four previous weeks and the drop comes amid an alarming rise in Covid cases in the last fortnight that has seen protestors take to the streets across the country demanding action from the government.

Meanwhile, data for toll motorways operated by Atlantia in southern European countries was mixed, but with no drastic changes seen.

Toll usage in Italy and France ticked higher on the week, with usage in France now improving for each of the last four weeks and headed back towards levels last seen in May.

Spain toll usage slipped slightly to 8.3% below the 2019 equivalent, which compares to an 8.3% rolling 4-week average.

The company operates 1,100 km of toll motorways in Spain, 1,768 km in France and 3,256 km in Italy.

Elsewhere, Mexican usage of the company's toll roads was stable on the week at 4.2% above the 2019 level.