The Porto Public Transport Society (STCP) will begin to control illegal parking on bus corridors and bus stops early next year as a result of a protocol signed this Thursday with the municipality.
In a conversation with journalists, the mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, emphasized this Thursday that the municipality is “renewing” a model that already existed in the city and continues in municipalities such as Braga.
“This is not a new law,” he said on the sidelines of a ceremony marking the 85th anniversary of the Porto municipal police, which took place at what will become the police’s future home, the STCP de Francos assembly point.
Also, the head of the municipal police of Porto, Antonio Leitan da Silva, explained to journalists that the protocol called “Via Livre” has been in force since 2004.
“STCP and municipal police have a common vehicle, which is driven by a STCP member and a municipal police inspector who carries out fines. At this time, we will provide this opportunity to members of the STCP itself who are duly trained and accredited to conduct exclusive audits in the field of public transport travel,” he said.
The review will take effect early next year, the commander said.
“There are at least five vehicles,” explained António Leitan da Silva, adding that the inspection team will consist of at least 15 people.
The protocol aims to strengthen the implementation of measures to combat “illegal parking in the city”, namely second-row parking, which has a “terrible impact”.
“We have a city that, due to the work on the subway, has actually become more crowded, with very limited traffic, and fortunately we are trying to negotiate the opening of some traffic channels (…) It is terrible. for a city that is already small due to the design of the streets, operating in public spaces, we have people who systematically park outside the designated spaces,” he said.
The commander told reporters that municipal police are already trying to purchase an electronic system that would allow checks to be carried out “much faster” and with the participation of an officer inside a patrol car.
“The agent walks by, sees the cars in the second row and issues tickets digitally,” he added.
António Leitão da Silva also said the system would allow the police to “set more equal standards of action for all offenders.”
“Usually the police are accused of arresting one, two or three and not arresting the rest,” he said.
Last year, Porto municipal police recorded 32,860 traffic tickets, seized 4,176 vehicles for traffic violations and towed 15,420 vehicles.
In the first half of this year, 18.5 thousand fines were registered for violating traffic rules, 2.6 thousand vehicles were blocked for violations, and 12.2 thousand vehicles were towed.
The municipal executive approved on October 9 (the BU abstained and the CDU voted against) a change to the STCP statute that strengthens the authority to inspect vehicles parked in BUS corridors and at bus stops that restrict traffic.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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