The HDZ of Loures and Odivelas this Monday sent an “open letter” to the Minister of the Environment due to the uncertainty of the route of the Violet Line of the Skytrain, but they believe that the study of the Circle Line will work in the loop as positive.
“We are very concerned in Loures and Odivelas about the Violet Line, since the project schedule has already been significantly exceeded and more than two years have passed since the PS in Loures was about to complete the metro line, but it has not happened yet. but managed to complete this process,” Thiago Matias, CDU councilor in the Loures Chamber, explained to Lusa.
The mayor spoke after delivering an “open letter” to Minister Duarte Cordeiro about the metro for Loures and Odivelas to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action in Lisbon.
In the document, the mayors of the two municipalities demand that the governor “take urgent measures” to “accelerate the process of launching the MLS project.” [metro ligeiro de superfície] Loures and Odivelas and that the necessary funds for their construction are allocated in the same amount as for similar investments in other municipalities.”
Another requirement includes “clarification of the technical feasibility and adoption of a decision on the creation of a ring line when connecting the Yellow Line with the future ring line” of the metro, as well as the conditions of mobility between the municipalities of Loures, Odivelas and Lisbon.
Regarding the future of the MLS Violet Line, Thiago Matias stressed that “by the end of the year there is the prospect of launching this project, but after so many delays” they are already suspicious and have “some doubts as to whether it will happen.”
“This commitment was confirmed by the minister’s representatives at the meeting that it remains in accordance with this schedule, but we still do not know the final version of the route,” the adviser noted, adding that the CDU is also concerned about “the point of view that has been put forward by some meetings of the chamber, was that the municipality should pay part of this investment.”
In January 2021, the Metropolitano of Lisbon and the councils of Loures and Odivelas signed a protocol for the development of the network in MLS mode, providing a connection to Lisbon from Loures and Odivelas through the Odivelas station of the Lisbon Metro, as part of an investment within the scope of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) of 250 million euros.
In an “open letter,” the CDU admits that it received “with great surprise” the information “that the two municipalities involved in the project will be called upon to bear the burden of increased costs” related to labor and materials. the global cost of which is now estimated at “410 million euros”, which for Loures can be translated into “30 million euros”.
This situation becomes “more puzzling” when “investment financing is publicly strengthened by the state, rather than the municipalities covered, in other expansions of intensive public transport networks”, namely in Lisbon, with the extension of the “red line” (“increase of 33%” ), and Linha Circular (plus 58%), and in Porto with the new Linha Rubi (plus 45%) and Linha Rosa (plus 29%) it is increasing.
“What is the reason for objective and differentiated discrimination in the distribution of burdens between similar projects implemented in different municipalities of our country, where increased funding has been publicly announced by the government, be it the Environmental Fund, the state budget or even through new funds from the PDP,” asks the CDU .
“We don’t want to believe that there can be double standards for municipalities in the same country,” said Thiago Matias, adding that the ministry told them “that the values have not yet been defined and they have taken note of this.” “concern” of the CDU.
As for the Circle Line, the CDU fears that it “will encourage the resumption of car traffic, increasing pollution, congestion and the cost of living.”
“With the Circle Line, a new transfer is being introduced for those arriving from Loures, Odivelas and the areas of Lisbon north of Campo Grande, such as the parishes of Santa Clara and Lumiar, with access to the University City and the city center, as well as those travels from Tellheiras towards Alvalade and the city center,” the “open letter” states, noting that “the performance of the future MLS Loures and Odivelas will also be burdened by the new relocation of the Yellow Line.”
For example, “to get from Loures to Ajuda, it would be necessary to take five different trains” with “four transfers,” making it “highly undesirable for any user to use public transport.”
The ring line option, which would again directly connect Odivelas and Tellheiras with the city center, “would be positive for the population, since it would avoid the congestion expected with the ongoing ring line solution,” the communists write.
At a meeting in the ministry, Thiago Mathias considered it “positive to note that with an increase of 30-40 million. [de euros] “This possibility will be guaranteed,” “it is not yet known exactly how this will be implemented in terms of traffic lights, the time at which the ring line can be used.”
However, he added, given the additional investment, “it remains to be decided how to bring the Circle Line into operation, even if a demand study is carried out taking into account the ongoing introduction of the Purple Line.”
Elected representatives of the CDU of Loures also organized a morning action among users of the Moscavide Medical Center and the Beatrice Angelo Hospital in Loures to denounce, among other things, the shortage of doctors.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Sandra Hansen, a news website Author and Reporter for 24 News Reporters. I have over 7 years of experience in the journalism field, with an extensive background in politics and political science. My passion is to tell stories that are important to people around the globe and to engage readers with compelling content.