With just over two weeks to go for the western section of the EN125 road works to be completed, according to the timetable offered by the Minster for Infrastructure, Pedro Marquês, works on the west tower of Ponte Nova over the River Arade between Lagoa and Portimão is are "almost restarting,” according to information given to Sul Informação which contacted the concession holder, Rotas do Algarve Litoral.
Work on the bridge was suspended a year ago after the first tower was refurbished, with a width and speed restriction left in place as workmen left the project half-completed.
The scaffolding has remained in place on the west tower as a tribute to government's disinterest but in January this year, Marquês announcing the refurbishment would be one of the many parts of the EN125 road works that would recommence shortly: “within days” was the phrase used.
The latest response to Sul Informação is that works on the bridge should "finish during the summer of 2017" which again leaves the public incredulous that definitive deadlines are being broken.
Pedro Marquês changed his tune at the launch of the Guadiana International Bridge project on June 5th when he said that only the “essential parts” of the EN125 project would be finished by June 30th, before the summer rush. He gave no deadline for other, non-essential parts.
Marquês is caught between the demand from the region’s drivers and business community to have some sort of timetable for the hugely delayed EN125 refurbishment project and the government’s covert clampdown on public spending which, successfully, has enabled it to hit the various spending targets agreed with Brussels and the country’s lenders.
By not explaining the reasons for these delays, Marquês has done himself few favours in the region and is close to joining the Algarve’s list of persona non grata, if he is not on it already.
