Territorial Unity Minister Ana Abruñosa said this Sunday in Guarda that the government intends to continue “reducing tolls” next year on the roads of the country’s interior.
“This is part of the government’s program to reduce tolls. We intend to continue to reduce tolls throughout the year,” Ana Abruñosa told reporters this Sunday.
The Minister of Territorial Unity spoke in Guarda on the eve of another protest Plataforma P’la Revenção das Scut A23 and A25, on the sidelines of the opening of the Mondego footpaths that are integrated into the Serra da Estrela. Natural Park and Star Geopark UNESCO World.
“We live in an environment where it is not enough to reduce tolls. We are in an energy crisis. We cannot encourage the use of cars. We are well aware that in these territories [do interior] there is no alternative, i.e. no public transport. And therefore, in parallel, we will work on mobility and accessibility projects,” he added.
Ana Abruñosa explained that in the interior, when a municipality launches a public tender for public transport, it is not attractive, and “it is important that this work is carried out at the level of the inter-municipal community, because it has a larger scope and makes it much more attractive [o concurso] private operators.
He also recalled that there are two programs aimed at promoting access to public transport and the offer of public transport: the PART program (Tariff Reduction Support Program) and the PROTRANS program (Public Transport Supply Densification Support and Strengthening Program).
According to the official, the state budget provides for a program norm so that during the first quarter of 2023, “work is carried out on a mobility for cohesion program,” which implies mobility in terms of public transport at the level of inter-municipal communities. , encouraging the use of electric vehicles and “reducing fares in the cabin and on the A22″. [autoestrada 22]”.
Ana Abruñosa also explained that it is necessary to work with the municipalities within the framework of the collective transport program and at the level of the so-called “transport on demand”.
Regarding the protest planned for Monday at Plataforma P’la Revenção das Scut A23 and A25, the Minister for Territorial Unity did not comment, saying “it is the right of the people to continue to fight for what they think they are entitled to.”
The platform will hold an action with the horns on Monday at several locations in the Castelo Branco and Guarda areas, namely Fundão (Market area, at 09:00), Castelo Branco (Rotonda of Europe, at 09:00), Covilhã (Olive roundabout Tree, at 16:30), Guarda (Camionagem central roundabout, at 17:30), Seia (Pingo Doce roundabout, at 8:45) and Vilar Formoso (on the old border, at 11:00:00:30) .
The A23 and A25 motorway replacement platform includes seven organizations from the districts of Castelo Branco and Guarda, namely the Business Association of Beira Baixa, the Union of Trade Unions of Castelo Branco, the Users Commission Against Tolls on the A23 Motorway, the Movement of Entrepreneurs of the Interior for Livelihoods , the Guarda Region Business Association, the A25 Users Commission and the Guarda Union of Trade Unions.
In addition to these, there are several other organizations that are represented on the General Council, which is an advisory body.
The A23, also known as the Beira Inland Highway, connects Guarda to Torres Novas (A1).
The A25 motorway (Beiras-Littoral and Alta highways) provides a link between Aveiro and the Vilar-Formoso border.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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