This Friday, the Portuguese Association of Railway Companies (APEF) deplored the government’s decision to stop collecting tolls on the former SCUT, believing that it punishes the railway and demanded fair measures.
“This decision severely penalizes the railway and further demonstrates the lack of strategic vision on the part of policymakers in the transport sector in allowing a measure of this scale to be approved without any thought to the impact it will have on mobility and the environment. sustainable development,” APEF defended in a statement.
The association also called for fair measures “to compensate for the loss of competitiveness of rail transport compared to roads, especially in relation to infrastructure charges.”
This year, the utilization rate of railway infrastructure increased by 23%, ATEF recalled.
“By allowing these two measures to move forward, we can conclude that the parties represented in the Assembly of the Republic have decided to invest in the highway and, once again, discriminate against the railway, harming the sector and all its “stakeholders.” [partes interessadas]despite millions of euros invested in railway infrastructure,” the association emphasized.
According to APEF Executive Director Miguel Rebelo de Souza, “It is incomprehensible that an isolated decision of this nature was made without thinking about measures that allow for a balance between modes of transport, which further damages the most sustainable mode of transport.” .
The official emphasized that in this way railway transport will not be able to be competitive compared to road transport.
“I am afraid that millions of euros that have been and will be invested in the railway network will be wasted, because with such measures we risk stopping freight and even passenger trains,” he said. added. .
APEF includes freight rail companies Medway, Takargo and Captrain.
According to Observador, Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) also expects to receive compensation for loss of revenue with the cessation of tolls on the former SCUT in the hinterland and in the Algarve from 2025, since, according to an official source of the public company, “Any measures causing losses income of a permanent nature, affect the economic and financial model of the intellectual property concession agreement signed in 2007 for a period of 75 years.”
On Thursday, Parliament generally approved the PS bill to abolish tolls on the former SCUT, with votes in favor of the Socialists, Chega, BE, PCP, Livre and PAN.
When voting on this project, the SDP and SDS-PP voted against, and the IL abstained.
After intense debate and numerous exchanges of accusations, the PS initiative to abolish tolls on sections and sections of highways in the interior (formerly SCUT) or where there are no alternative routes that allow quality and safe use is now moving forward. to a special process.
The PS proposal aims to eliminate tolls on the motorways A4 – Transmontana and Tunnel do Maran, A13 and A13-1 – Inland Pinhal, A22 – Algarve, A23 – Inland Beira, A24 – Inland Norte, A25 – Beiras Litoral and Alta and A28 – – Minho between Esposende and Antas and between Neiva and Darke.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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