DECO launched the public transport platform in March 2016, but has so far received practically zero feedback from the Algarve, leading the watchdog to query whether people in the southern region actually use buses or trains.
Speaking to Lusa News Agency, Sandra Rodrigues, of DECO’s Algarve branch, said that for many months after the platform was launched almost no complaints were received from the Algarve, which spurred the team to try and find out what was going on.
“There were no complaints from the Algarve, not because [public] transport worked very well, but because the network is so inefficient and useless that people do not use it,” she said, adding that in 12 months there were 34 complaints – just two or three a month – about the Algarve’s public transport, with the counties of Faro, Albufeira, Olhão and Tavira being the most targeted.
A new campaign will see representatives of regional entities undertake five bus rides on different routes in a bid to see what can be improved.
DECO has already embarked on two bus rides, one between Faro city centre and the airport, and another between Tôr and Loulé, and is planning another 45-kilometre trip between Albufeira and Faro.
One major flaw Sandra Rodrigues has already noted is that there are no busses that run between Albufeira and Faro that would get university students living in Albufeira and studying in Faro, into the city in time for the start of classes, for example at the Gambelas campus, at 8.30am.
A further two bus rides, one of which will be between Tavira and Portimão, are on the cards before November, when the campaign ends and an overall assessment of the scenario will be drawn up.
“We would like to meet with local politicians to try and come up with alternatives, possibilities, more solutions so that whoever lives here could use public transportation as a viable alternative in their daily life”, Ms. Rodrigues said, noting that the debate on the issue is even more pressing due to the proximity of the local elections.
Since March 2016, the platform www.queixasdostransportes.pt has been open to users who wish to complain about collective public transport.
Since then, nationally, 3,300 users have complained about the quality of services provided by public transport, particularly concerning the reduction and / or suppression of frequencies or routes, delays and hygiene, and comfort conditions of the vehicles.