Still smarting from a stout thrashing in the nation’s media this week over the failure of Ferrovial 2020, the Minister of Planning and Infrastructure today addressed parliament and delivered yet more promises to build new railway lines and develop improvements to the country’s existing rail network.Pedro Marquês reaffirmed that the biggest tender planned in the Ferrovia 2020 plan – the Évora to Elvas line worth €400 million - will be launched “next month.”
In his address to the Government on the investment needs in public services, Pedro Marquês said the modernisation of the railway section between Elvas and the Spanish border, as well as the Beira Baixa line between Covilhã and Guarda, will start “in the next 30 days.”
"This will mark the turning point for Portuguese railroads," said Marques, who lamely tried to blame ‘the last lot’ for its failed Strategic Transport and Infrastructure Plan (PETI) which has produced only "two technical projects, representing less than 1.5% of the investment planned for the 2020 railway network."
Regarding the Évora to Elvas line, the minister said this is the "largest railway line project in 100 years," and it will allow the "competitive connection" of the port of Sines to Spain and Europe. This was not news to MPs, tired of waiting for the promised activity in the railway sector.
The new link will cost €264 million and forms part of a €626 million project to create the international corridor from Sines to Spain under the Connecting Europe initiative.
Parliament has heard it all before and the lamentable lack of progress in the minister’s railway improvement plans leads many to doubt his bland assurances.
As pointed out in ‘Portugal's railway network upgrade is a shambles’ Feb 13th:
'Ferrovia 2020 was presented in 2016 by the Planning and Infrastructure Minister, Pedro Marquês - by now 528 kilometres of railway should be under construction or being upgraded in a major boost to the nation's rail network.
The actual number of kilometres being attended to is 79, with the government blaming “delays in the study phase” - the very start of the process and a long way from getting engineers and construction workers on the ground to complete the promised projects.
Marquês guaranteed the nation 1,193 kilometres of new or improved railway line and has failed, even though some of the stretches included in Ferrovial 2020 in fact were relatively simple and long-overdue maintenance projects.'
The actual number of kilometres being attended to is 79, with the government blaming “delays in the study phase” - the very start of the process and a long way from getting engineers and construction workers on the ground to complete the promised projects.
Marquês guaranteed the nation 1,193 kilometres of new or improved railway line and has failed, even though some of the stretches included in Ferrovial 2020 in fact were relatively simple and long-overdue maintenance projects.'
Whatever the spin Pedro Marquês gives to the topic of railway improvements, the facts are that he has failed to deliver.
