Following the thematic Council of Ministers dedicated to energy transition and sustainability, which took place in Entroncamento, district of Santarém, the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, highlighted the need to intervene in terms of green mobility and highlighted the approval of 13 measures aimed at “guaranteeing greater mobility” and convenience in movements in the country, combined with the decarbonisation of transport.
As explained later by the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, among the 13 measures in the Green Mobility package, the Government will “support with three million euros” the municipalities, through the CIM and the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto, to accelerate the development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (PMUS).
“This is very important, because this systemic, deep, integrated thinking, of a symbiotic relationship that must exist between the various municipalities, the various sustainable urban mobility plans, we want to encourage municipalities to start thinking together, and the CIMs to start thinking together for these sustainable urban mobility plans”, stated Miguel Pinto Luz.
In this sense, the government will publish the guide Guidelines for the Preparation of PMUS, in order to harmonise criteria throughout the territory and accelerate their development at a national level.
Cycle paths
Another measure that also involves the municipal sphere will have an allocation of three million euros, to speed up the construction of cycle paths, which Pinto Luz stressed will be promoted “in close collaboration”, like others, with the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho.
“We have the ambition of Portugal Ciclável 2030, [of] an additional 850 kilometres available and, therefore, this ambition has to materialise, we have to do the work”, stressed the Minister of Infrastructure, adding that, as the Prime Minister said, “this is a Government of action, not just of proclamations, but of achievements”.
This investment is part of the National Active Mobility Strategy, which aims to further strengthen support for the acquisition of bicycles and bicycle parking systems by the public administration, to the value of 200 thousand euros in 2024.
Where on earth will they put cycle paths when the majority of roads in most cities are too small for cars and pedestrians to walk safely? Especially Lisboa. Is this reality or some grand idea that has little chance of success in any busy area?
By Jo Walker from Porto on 07 Oct 2024, 17:33
Hopefully they will make good use of the funds and create cycling infrastructure which is really usable by cyclists. There are too many cycle ways which are created without the involvement of cyclist groups, and which ends up being a total waste or even more dangerous than not having the infrastructure
By Loic Charmoille from Lisbon on 07 Oct 2024, 18:41
More cycling paths are definitely needed, especially on Madeira island. Riding on roads is simply unsafe considering the size, mass, and hardness of cars vs cyclists. I hope they will be at least 10k long each, with few stops, and made of asphalt and not concrete with expansion joints.
By Brian Sanders from Other on 08 Oct 2024, 14:39