Users of the express bus that connects Viana do Castelo and Porto along the A28 motorway have written an open letter to the mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira. They warn of the “severity of the situation” they face due to rising transport costs and speak of a “no-win situation”.
In the letter they state that at the beginning of the year they were faced with an increase in fares of more than 100%, “given the incapacity demonstrated by the various organizations responsible in this matter, in particular the Intermunicipal Community of Alto Minho, Camara Viana do Castelo and the Porto metropolitan area to find a minimum viable solution for travel by public transport from Viana do Castelo to Porto, similar to what already exists for most regions peripheral to Porto. “. They indicate that they have already requested a meeting and the intervention of the Mayor of Porto to unblock “the critical situation that has developed” and state that in practice “the reduction in support from the Chamber of Viana do Castelo has led to mobility on public transport between Alto- Minho and Porto are practically absent.”
Users add that with rising costs, “the number of users of this public transport route is decreasing daily and currently stands at no more than 10, with the rest essentially ‘migrating’ to private car transport, which contributes to increased traffic congestion.” A28, Via Norte and the city of Porto.” They also explain that at the beginning of 2023, the city council of Viana do Castelo “issued 333 discount cards to residents”, while in Esposende, “where the municipality has maintained its support, we are seeing the opposite – a constant increase in the number of users. -, demonstrating effectiveness in promoting the use of public transport.”
Thus, they warn “of the urgency of the situation, since many users are left in a hopeless situation.” And they give the example of “university students who decide to cut class attendance or interrupt their studies, and workers who risk becoming unemployed because they cannot afford travel costs.”
Author: Manuel Jorge Bento
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.