To encourage industry and people to settle in Alentejo
Portugal’s parliament has recommended the government take advantage of Beja Airport “in its various dimensions and potential” to encourage people and industry to settle in the Alentejo
The recommendation appeared today in State gazette Diário da República after the final text of a draft resolution, presented by the Commission for Economy, Public Works, Planning and Housing, from a Communist Party project, was approved on January 26.
On that occasion, the document received votes in favour from the (ruling) PS, Chega, Iniciativa Liberal, PCP and Bloco de Esquerda, with only the lone MPs of PAN and Livre, as well as PSD abstaining.
In the draft resolution, it is recommended that the government “values Beja Airport within the national airport system, taking advantage of all its resources and potential”, so that it “promotes the settling of the population and industry in the region”, explains Lusa.
Among parliament’s recommendations is the creation of an “intermodality of services and transport, combining road, rail and air services”.
To this end, the draft proposes:
- the modernisation and electrification of the entire Alentejo Line, “on the link between Casa Branca-Ourique/Funcheira, including the study of the connection to Beja Airport”.
- the construction of Main Itinerary 8 (IP8), “with two lanes and without tolls between Sines and the A2 (motorway linking Lisbon with the Algarve”.
- the recommendation calls for an upgrade of the IP8, “in a first phase between Santa Margarida do Sado and Beja and in a second phase between Beja and Vila Verde de Ficalho”.
Says the text: the government must “enhance the integrated strategy of aeronautics, cargo, parking, maintenance and passengers, as a way of promoting the endogenous development of tourism, industry and aeronautics maintenance and cargo/logistics“.
Two days after the draft resolution was passed, both Beja and Alverca entered the list of possible locations for the new Lisbon airport – a question that has haunted this government as a lack of decision is being seen as poor handling of this issue that has dragged on for decades, helping no one.
The Independent Technical Commission (CTI) is now analysing all the various options for Lisbon’s ‘second’ airport, with the aviation sector continually bemoaning the time it is taking.
Source material: Lusa
