Environment minister says ‘not one step back’ will be done on metro circle line

Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro said on Tuesday that there would be no “step back” on the Metropolitano de Lisbon Circle Line, confirming that it was in progress and would be completed.

“Not one step back will be taken. We are working and we will complete it,” the Minister of the Environment told reporters on the sidelines of the Lisbon Energy Summit and Exhibition 2023, which runs until June 1 in Lisbon. .

Duarte Cordeiro stated the need to distinguish an operation from work to be done, pointing out that while “an operation can be done in several ways, a job can only be done in one way.”

In a statement released last week, the Ministry of the Environment acknowledged that the operation of the future Lisbon metro circle line could be carried out “around the circle”, without transfers at the Campo Grande station for passengers on the yellow line, citing a decision to the company.

The operation of the Circle Line, as defined, provides that passengers leaving Odivelas, Senhor Roubado, Ameixoeira, Lumiar, Quinta das Conchas and Telheiras stations will have to transfer to the train at Campo Grande if they want to go to other areas of Lisbon.

With “circular” circulation, this overload is no longer necessary, and the train departing from the future Yellow Line continues to move along the new circle line.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Action said in a statement that traffic on the Circle Line may pass through an operation “commonly referred to as ‘around the circle’ or a combination of these types of operations.”

“The decision on the operating model, simple or combined, will be determined in due course by the Metropolitano de Lisboa, supported by demand and operation studies that will confirm this,” he added.

Asked about possible delays and the objections that the closure of some of them has caused, Duarte Cordeiro said that it is expected that the operation can be resumed on July 1.