The government is planning to drop the upgrade work planned for the Algarve’s railway line in its new version of the Strategic Plan for Transport and Investment (PETI), a document revised and submitted by Infraestruturas de Portugal to the detriment of the Algarve.
The company quotes cost savings from the scrapping of the electrification of the line between Vila Real de Santo António and Lagos and the abandonment of the Faro airport rail link.
The 2014 plan, which the Algarve welcomed as long overdue and recognising the region as a key tourism destination, contained details of a €55 million investment in the Algarve’s railway line, as well as work to the docks at Faro and Portimão.
Contacted by Sul Informaçao, the President of the mayors’ group AMAL Jorge Botelho said he is not aware of any cut backs but if true, he will call an urgent meeting of the region’s mayors.
"If true, it is obvious that we were not happy. This would be a decision that would seriously undermine the Algarve and we will do everything to avert it," said Botelho.
The Algarve Social Democrats have requested clarification from the government about its alleged intention to drop the planned investment in the Algarve's railway line which involves a dollop of EU funding and a planned saving of around €400,000 per year by using electricty rather than diesel locomotives.
"It is not acceptable that the government removes a structural investment in the region which is part of the public transport policy for the Algarve. ... This now is a struggle by all political and civil forces in the region that always have advocated the need for electrification of the railway line, allowing on the movement of alpha commuter trains and creating conditions to lower operational costs. Also in the plan is the rail link between Faro Airport and the existing Algarve line so that the the country's main tourist destination can have a direct link from airport to railway,” said the local PSD.
The railway and dock investment resulted in part from the cutting back of much of the EN125 road upgrade work including many urgently needed by-passes.
In turn, the EN125 road redevelopment budget was slashed from the €250 million offered as a bribe when the government wanted the mayors’ cooperation on the unpopular imposition of tolls on the Via do Infante.
Now the Algarve is facing "no road and no railway, no mobility policy, just scraps of nothing" say the Algarve PSD.
"The Minister should reaffirm the commitment made by the previous government to realise the investment in the Algarve line. By not doing so, apart from disloyalty to the Algarve, the first major blow of the current government will be felt in the Algarve," concluded the Algarve’s Social Democrats, until recently the party of power whose attitude towards the Algarve was admitted in parliament to be one of 'hatred.'
The government would do well to say the alleged cancelled investment was all a bad dream and that the investment will go ahead as planned with a completion date of 2020.
If the government goes along with Infraestruturas de Portugal's cost saving plan, the Algarve's political class will huff and puff and again achieve nothing as Lisbon has always viewed the tiny region as not worthy of 'grown up' investment.
