By ELOISE WALTON [email protected]
ADAP, the Portimão-based environmental defence association, is threatening to force the Algarve Motor Park to reveal its noise test results by contacting the European Union.
ADAP President David Broad told the Algarve Resident: “We are not against the motor park, we don’t want to close it. What we want is for it to simply comply with the law and for the project to be completed with the erection of the noise barriers which are set out in the environmental impact study.”
David Broad said that ADAP, which has more than 200 members, has sent letters to the motor park, Portimão Câmara and the CCDR requesting the noise test results to be published.
However, they have not received a response to their request.
“According to a European Union directive, the public has the right to access environmental information; all they have to do is ask. We want to see the results of the noise tests but haven’t been shown them, so our next step will be to contact the European Union and force them to be published,” said David Broad.
He added that ADAP has spent “a significant amount of money” on having noise tests carried out by the regional branch of the ministry of economy and innovation.
“Until the motor park’s results are published, then our results are the facts and they show that the noise levels from the race track are higher than is legally allowed,” he said.
A spokesman from the Algarve Motor Park told the Algarve Resident: “We have responded to ADAP’s letters. Noise tests have been carried out at the motor park throughout the year by the CCDR.”
The spokesman added that the motor park is due to receive a full report in January from the CCDR with the noise test results, which it is planning to reveal.
“The motor park is fully legal and when we have the report, we will publish the results and show them to the members of ADAP.”
During an exclusive interview with the Algarve Resident earlier this month, motor park CEO Paulo Pinheiro said that he was willing to meet with local residents and discuss the facts, adding that the motor park fully complies with national and European regulations.
“Noise measurements have been carried out by the CCDR for the past six months on a 24-hour basis,” he said.
Meanwhile, Algarve Resident readers are divided as to whether bringing Formula one to the Algarve would be beneficial to the region.
In an online poll question put out to readers on the subject earlier this month, more than half voted that Portugal should not make the multimillion euro motorsport a priority for the region.
For more information about ADAP, please visit the English language blog at http://againstnoise.blogspot.com. To learn more about the Algarve motor park, please visit the website, available in English, at www.autodromodoalgarve.com
Do you have a view on this story? Please email Editor Inês Lopes at [email protected]
