Carris Metropolitana wants to exceed 14 million passengers per month

Carris Metropolitana began operations on the north bank of the Tagus in January last year and those in charge have a 2024 target of “stabilizing operations”, ensuring greater “network reliability” and exceeding 14 million passengers per month.

“The numbers are positive, so in terms of passengers carried we are now almost 10% higher than the number of passengers carried before the launch of the Carris Metropolitana and are already approaching the data before the pandemic,” said Rui Lopo, administrator of the Transportes Metropolitanos de Lisbon (TML) talking to Lusa.

Operating public road passenger transport in the 18 municipalities of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML), although Barreiro, Cascais and Lisbon have their own services, already “has about 13 and a half million passengers in October and November”, with a 40% increase in demand in the Lisbon area taking into account the arrival of Carris Metropolitana.

“This shows that the operations have become more mature, that the operations are more reliable, that people are getting used to and associating with this new reality – there is still a lot to be improved, this is undeniable, such things are always like this, but with an extremely positive evolution,” he believes.

In this sense, the tasks for the next year include “continuing to stabilize the operation”, that is, optimizing the network so that it is simpler and clearer for people, strengthening the supply and “making the network more reliable”, while “adhering to operators’ work schedules”.

Once these problems are resolved, Rui Lopo believes that the barrier of 14 million passengers per month can be overcome in the so-called “clean months”, when work occurs without major interruptions caused by holidays or school holidays.

According to TML data to which Lusa had access, in the so-called zone 1, the municipality of Amadora registered more than 9.2 million passengers (681,135 in January / 1,066,164 in October), Cascais – more than 1.4 million (102,286 / 167,410 ). , although only on long-distance routes such as Lisbon, where there are over 13.3 million (1,083,359/1,451,220). Oeiras had over 7.6 million (632,104/887,008) and Sintra over 16.6 million (1,294,637/2,035,810).

In Region 2, Loures registered over 15.2 million (1,205,836 in January/1,723,023 in October), Mafra over 1.9 million (164,458/262,009), Odivelas over 10.7 million ( 880,659/1,213,649), and in Vila Franca de Xira – more than 4.9 million were transported (399,415/575,610).

In total, zone 1 registered more than 48.3 million passengers (5.95% from May to October), and zone 2 registered more than 32.9 million (1.32%). In the so-called Margem Sul (Setúbal district), where the operation began in June and July 2022, more than 24.8 million (-0.69%) lived in zone 3 (Almada, Seixal and Sesimbra) and in zone 4 (Alcochete , Barreiro), Moita, Montijo, Palmela, Setubal) more than 10.4 million (7.01%).

According to TML, Carris Metropolitana now operates 1,700 buses, 11,000 routes and 20,000 timetables per day, with 12,000 stops in the AML territory, carrying around 600,000 passengers per day and covering around 85 million kilometers per year.

The TML administrator emphasized that of the 600 thousand passengers transported per day, about “100 thousand are children, so when there is no school, there are 100 thousand fewer passengers on the network.”

According to Rui Lopo, Zone 2 is under great operational pressure. Demand has grown strongly in Lores, Mafra, Odivelas and Vila Franca de Xira, and “the operator has not yet been able to hire exactly all the drivers, not those drivers who were needed to start, but drivers who, however, are already needed to get more offers.”

“There is a growing demand here that we have to respond to and that the operator has to keep up with, so it is a constantly evolving process,” he admitted, noting that the municipality with the highest number of passengers was Sintra, where there were just over two million in October.

The spokesman stressed that “there is no transport service in the world that operates 100% in terms of compliance”, nor those that have dedicated channels such as the train, and promised: “It is always a service of great stress and great effort ” pressure, but we are here to serve people and that is our mission – to serve mobility, help with sustainability and climate issues.”

“It all started with some restrictions, with difficulties in hiring drivers, but things got better,” said, for her part, the president of the Lisbon Metropolitan Council, Carla Tavares, about the first year of activity on the north bank.

Also, the President of the Chamber of Amadora from the PS assured that “operators are still very interested in reducing resources, and this is also happening at the moment in relation to zone 2, but the balance is very positive, mainly in terms of the increase in the number of users.”

“This is without a shadow of a doubt a winning bet, and mobility issues in the fight against money laundering will naturally continue to be a priority. Naturally, this is also a priority for the 18 municipalities,” he said.

The mayor emphasized the fact that the number of passes and tickets will not increase in 2024, and from January free access will be extended to young people and students under the age of 23.

“The goal in 2024 remains the stability of the operation, its credibility” among all those who use the Navegante Pass and Carris Metropolitana, said Carla Tavares.