The Secretary of State for Tourism has decided to "evaluate to correct" the problems of the Algarve’s ecovia cycle route which has never in fact been a pan-Algarve cycle route as advertised with sections missing, signage vandalised or absent, blocked off paths and a general lack of care and attention typifying many EU funded operations in the region.
Ana Mendes Godinho has taken nearly a year to get around to treating the ecovia as another opportunity for free publicity as she announces her intention to "evaluate and correct” the ecovia’s problems.
To ensure the cameras were clicking, Godinho went on a press-friendly bike ride along a flat and reasonably coherent section of ecovia between Luz de Tavira and Fuzeta.
Had she chosen the section in Faro at the western end of the Riverside Park white elephant, the secretary of state would have been faced with a fence and the need to carry her bike up a steep railway embankment and along a section of the Algarve’s railway track, thus both trespassing on State property and risking her life at the same time.
Godinho is publicising a new Cycling & Walking Algarve project and wants to "assess the shortcomings of the existing ecovia and to correct any faults without regards to cost."
The ecovia has never connected across the region, with some municipalities such as Olhão not wishing to join in the original project: there are plenty of other gaps.
The politician, now wishing to be photographed in 'sports mode,' said she will "take advantage of what already exists and connect up the missing bits so that there is a continuous route across Algarve" - eight years late.
"I have come to make the Municipal Councils work together," she added, realising that they have failed so to do since the ecovia was opened in 2008 despite the opportunity the route would represent if in fact it joined up across the region, was maintained, signage was coherent and the opportunity was publicised widely as one of the best cycling routes in Europe.
This Secretary of State for Tourism assured all concerned that money will be no problem, "We need to understand what needs to be done. Both the airport operator, Tourism of Portugal, Algarve Tourism and business owners are together in this project. What we want is to build a product that works as a whole.”
Algarve Tourism luminary Desidério Silva, whose planned publicity shot, which involved hefting his bulk astride a sturdy bicycle, was aborted due to ‘technical problems’, said he "can assure us that he will put pressure on and make municipalities aware that connections need to be made."
"The Algarve, in autumn and winter, has great potential for the practice of walking and cycling,” added the wise one, with his usual insight.
