The Spanish owner of CIMIC, Australia’s biggest construction group, has confirmed it wants to use its stake in Barcelona-headquartered toll road operator Abertis to expand into tolling motorways in Australia.

Juan Santamaria, the global chief executive of Group ACS – the listed Spanish company that owns CIMIC – told analysts after the group delivered its first-half results last week that there were “greenfield opportunities” for Abertis in Australia, and it was one of the main places identified for expansion.