According to the proposed amendment to the 2024 state budget published this Thursday, Livret wants to extend the national rail pass to urban, interregional and intercity trains, with a maximum monthly cost of 49 euros.
The proposal envisages that by the end of the first quarter of 2024 the government will extend the national rail pass, which already applies to regional trains, to cover city, interregional and intercity trains, stipulating that the monthly cost “cannot be higher than 49 euros per month.”
According to Livre, represented in parliament by the sole deputy Rui Tavares, the extension of this pass will have to be “accompanied by strengthening the railway connection and investing in the renewal and acquisition of rolling stock.”
The proposal also establishes that the public service contract between the state and Comboios de Portugal (CP) is reviewed and renewed to compensate the company for the loss of revenue and increased operating costs due to the extension of the National Rail Pass. “.
In addition to this expansion, Livre proposes that over the next year the government, together with the Office of Mobility and Transport, the Institute of Mobility and Transport, various transport authorities, metropolitan areas and inter-municipal communities, explore “templates for the creation of a National Mobility Pass that provides access to urban, suburban , regional, medium and flexible transport by road, rail, river and smooth modes of transport through the expansion of the “Incentive +TP” and “Platform 1Bilhete” programs. pt'”.
In its justification, the party recalls that in the budget proposal for 2023, Livre managed to achieve the approval of a national railway ticket, valid for all regional trains, costing 49 euros, which came into force on August 1 this year.
“However, there is an urgent need to expand the scope of this decision, extending its effect to more people and more regions of the country,” the text says.
The party emphasizes that “interregional trains and city trains in a number of regions and lines complement regional trains,” and adds that “there are no regional flights in other regions and lines.”
It is argued that intercity trains “are an important link between the cities of the country, allowing people who, for example, work in one city and live in another, to get to work.”
“CP currently offers Flexipasse CP to those who regularly use intercity, regional and interregional trains. However, the prices currently charged – several hundred euros – make it unaffordable for large parts of the population and result in commuting becoming impossible. along the road,” the initiative says.
Livre believes that this expansion will “respond to the rising cost of living that we are experiencing today and which makes it necessary to reduce family and personal expenses” as well as “accelerate the country’s environmental commitments, where the transition to more sustainable mobility is key.”
But the party also wants the Socialist majority executive to begin negotiations “with a view to creating a National Mobility Pass, which gives access to all types of short- and medium-distance travel throughout the country.”
“Such a right will not only ensure access to daily travel on all modes of transport at lower prices and in accordance with the purchasing power of families, but will also make it easier and simpler to use, replacing the different types of existing tickets depending on regions or modes of transport,” it defends in the text.
OE2024 was approved on Tuesday with a majority vote for PS and abstentions for PAN and Livre, and debate on the specialty began today, with the deadline for parties to submit proposals for changes to the government document ending November 14.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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