Majority in SP says privatized roads are better – 09/04/2023 – Market

For most residents of São Paulo, the roads that have been privatized in the state are superior to public roads in terms of quality.

That’s what Datafolha’s poll conducted between the 3rd and 5th of April points out. According to the survey, 70% of those interviewed say that the roads that charge tolls are better than the federal and state ones —a proportion that rises to 77% among those who say they use these roads.

The survey, carried out in 65 municipalities in all regions of the state of São Paulo, personally interviewed 1,806 people over 16 years of age. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points.

According to Datafolha, the minority (6%) says that the privatization of the highways has not changed the situation in relation to what it was before, while 15% say that the quality has deteriorated. Another 10% don’t know.

The data reflect the perception measured by the survey that a toll road is better, with more resources for quality asphalt and good signaling than the other way around. The vast majority (89%) agree with the statement.

However, despite the good assessment, the people of São Paulo say they are against the privatization of side roads — single lane highways that connect cities or neighborhoods.

The majority (55%) do not agree with charging tolls to improve the conditions of these roads, while 42% support it.

Datafolha also questioned whether respondents usually use the airports of Cumbica, in Guarulhos, and Viracopos, in Campinas.

The vast majority said they do not have this habit: 72% do not usually take flights in Cumbica, and 87% in Guarulhos.

As the majority of the sample does not use the terminals, the general assessment of the quality of services after privatization was divided.

However, among users, the perception tends to be positive. For the majority of respondents who usually fly from Cumbica (53%), the concession to the private sector was great or good. Another 26% rate it as regular, and 12% as bad or terrible.

Among Viracopos users, 56% say that privatization was positive. One in four (25%) thought it was regular, and 10% thought it was negative.

Datafolha also asked how respondents evaluate energy companies such as CPFL, Eletropaulo and Cesp, which were privatized by the state of São Paulo in the 1990s: for 39%, privatization was excellent or good, 29% see it as regular, and others 24% as bad or terrible. 8% say they don’t know.

Approval tends to be higher among those aged 60 or over (42%), with higher education (44%), and who earn between five and ten minimum wages (51%).