Miguel Pinto Luz, the Minister of Infrastructure, told Parliament this Wednesday that Comboios de Portugal (CP) will not buy as many high-speed trains as it would like, as the government argues that other companies should also enter the market to create competition.
“We are not going to buy as many trains as CP wanted. CP had ambitions to buy trains that would give it 80% market share, and I don’t think that’s good for the market,” Pinto Luz said, without providing further details.
However, during a hearing at the Economy and Public Works Committee, a government official said CP should be well-equipped and provide quality service, but that it “will not have a monopoly” on high speed because that is not this government’s vision of how the economy should work.
Regarding the fact that there was only one firm offer (from Mota-Engil) for the international public tender for the construction and management of the first section of the Porto-Lisbon high-speed line, the minister said that there was a risk that it would remain empty, but even so, “for a competition of this magnitude it is harmful to have only one competitor.”
“I’m glad we have at least one so we don’t have to put it off, but we want more in the future, the competition is healthy,” he said.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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