Vila Real, Portugal, June 24, 2024 (Lusa) - Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP - the country's road and rail infrastructure company) announced on Monday that progress has been made on the Douro Railway Line modernisation projects regarding the electrification of the Régua - Pocinho section and the study for the reopening of the track up to Barca d'Alva.
"The current status of these contracts demonstrates IP's total commitment to ensuring that the investments planned for the Douro Line under the 2030 National Investment Programme (PNI) become a reality by the end of this decade," said IP in a statement.
The company, which has been criticised for delays in modernising the Douro Line, said that under the Ferrovia 2020 and PNI 2030 programmes, it is developing a series of projects that aim to equip the track "with the most modern control, command and signalling systems that are interoperable and with electric traction along its entire length, creating a modern, safer, more capable and sustainable railway infrastructure at the service of the mobility of the region's citizens".
To this end, it emphasised that in June "several important actions were carried out in the development of ongoing procedures, namely the start of the studies and projects phase".
Among them, it highlighted the Douro Line contract - electrification and modernisation of the Peso da Régua - Pocinho section - and adaptation and replacement of metal bridges - Lot 1, 2 and 3 - worth €2.4 million.
The company explained that "studies have been contracted and started into the solutions to be implemented so that the metal bridges on the Régua / Pocinho sub-section can withstand towed loads of 22.5 tonnes/axle".
According to IP, last week saw the opening of bids for the tender called Linha do Douro - Régua - Pocinho - Electrification and Modernisation, launched with a base price of €7 million and which aims to develop the studies and projects needed to electrify and modernise the infrastructure of the Régua/Pocinho sub-section.
The electrification of the Douro Line has been completed as far as Marco de Canaveses.
In the first week of this month, the company added, the contract for the preparation of the preliminary study and execution project for the rehabilitation and reopening of the Pocinho/Barca D'Alva section also began.
With a contract value of around €4 million, the aim of this investment is to reopen this section of the Douro Line, which was deactivated in 1988, to railway operation.
This railway line currently connects Porto to Pocinho (171.522 kilometres) and for several years the reopening of the 28-kilometre stretch between Pocinho (Vila Nova de Foz Côa) and Barca d'Alva (Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo) has been advocated.
The company added that, in addition to these projects, the modernisation of the Douro Line also includes the installation of electronic signalling, including the automatic speed control system and the automation of level crossings.
This signalling, it explained, will be compatible with the rail interoperability system for trans-European trains, as well as with the GSM-R telecommunications system, which will support the communications of the other systems to be installed.
According to the company, the Douro Line will also be equipped with a system compatible with the ERTMS (European Railway Traffic Management System) with ETCS (European Railway Control System) level 2.
As for the stations and platforms, it said that 150 metre-long passenger platforms with a height of 0.76 metres will be considered.
In the particular case of Régua Station, a 200 metre long platform is planned, making it possible to use it for the intercity service.
"The realisation of this vast set of interventions will ensure a more efficient, faster, safer and environmentally sustainable public transport service for users of the Douro Line," concluded the company.
PLI/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
