Lisbon, Oct. 2, 2024 (Lusa) - Portugal's minister of infrastructure and housing will be called to parliament to explain the new Green Rail Pass, following a request from Chega, approved in the Economy, Public Works and Housing Committee on Wednesday.
The request was approved with Chega and the PSD voting in favour and the PS abstaining.
Chega had presented a request to hear Miguel Pinto Luz "on the new Green Rail Pass and its framework in the national railway plan, to ensure better quality and efficiency levels for railway services". The prime minister, Luís Montenegro, announced in August, at the Ponttal Festival in Quarteira, Farodistrict, a €20 monthly rail pass that will give passengers access to all urban, regional, interregional, and intercidades trains.
The prime minister said the pass is included in a "mobility plan" that will be approved. The plan aims to facilitate the use of sustainable means of transport that don't cause environmental problems.
CP's Workers' Committee (CT) considered that the €20 monthly rail pass would be a financial disaster for the carrier and showed its lack of capacity to respond to the increase in demand.
"To give us an idea of the financial impact of this National Pass, €20 is less than the 2nd class ticket on an Intercidades train from Lisbon to Coimbra (€21.30 in 2nd class; €26.85 in 1st class)," said the CP - Comboios de Portugal Workers' Committee in a press release.
In addition to the "financial disaster that such decisions will entail", the workers' representatives also considered that the measure announced by the prime minister would lead to an increase in demand and “prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that CP cannot respond and the infrastructure is collapsing”.
The CT pointed out that CP cannot hire the workers it needs to fulfil its public service contract with the state and "waits months for authorisations from the Ministry that are essential to ensure the service".
In addition, the CT considered that the new rail pass constitutes "yet another gross violation" of the public service contract, which provides for the carrier to be financially compensated in return for its obligations and for the state to be able to alter the public service parameters defined, on condition that it notifies the company in advance so that it has time to carry out an operational feasibility and impact study on the compensation due, a study which, it says, has to be carried out by the Mobility and Transport Authority (AMT).
MPE/ADB // ADB.
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