Encouraging the use of public transport is one of the government’s objectives with the establishment of Incentiva+TP. The new program, which appears in the report accompanying the 2024 state budget proposal (OE2024), replaces the Support Program for Fare Reduction in Public Transport (PART) and the Support Program for the Densification and Strengthening of Public Transport Supply (PART ). PROTransP).
The expected budget impact in 2024 is €360 million, representing an increase of €91 million compared to 2023, with a percentage of carbon revenues allocated to financing this program.
“These funds are transferred directly to the Environmental Fund, which is then transferred to the transport authorities.” In this way, the government explains that “this mechanism assumes that risk sharing underlies the variation in carbon revenues.”
Since “the amount to be allocated in a particular year is at least equal to that of the previous year plus the TAT [Taxa de Atualização Tarifária]”and at most “the amount to be allocated in a given year shall not exceed 5% of the resources allocated in the previous year, adjusted for TAT (balances to compensate for years of lower revenues)”.
The actions to be financed include support for the reduction of fares, the payment of public service obligations arising from the contracting of public transport services and support for strengthening the supply, either through regular or flexible public transport services.
According to the document, the number of beneficiaries amounts to “more than five million Portuguese who live on the continent and travel regularly, of which 730 thousand residents regularly use public transport”.
The Executive adds that Encentiva +TP “aims to ensure more balanced, stable and predictable financing for transport authorities”.
“The resources from this program can only be allocated to the financing and promotion of public transport, with each transport authority being responsible for identifying the most effective measures to increase the demand for public transport and to ensure the sustainability of the activities under its responsibility safeguards.” it also reads.
Source: DN
