Next year, the cabinet will invest a total of 781 million euros in national railways. The executive admits that this amount “reaches unprecedented levels of investment, which will contribute to the training and consolidation of this environmentally sustainable form of mobility in all corridors that make up the national rail network, with implementation expected to exceed 132 euros by 2023. % will be ” . According to the proposed National Budget for 2023 (OE 2023), there are four major investments on the table.
The International Southern Corridor has an allocated allocation of 234 million euros in 2023. According to the document, intervention is planned in more than 170 kilometers of track, including the new line between Évora and the eastern line – with an emphasis on the implementation of the construction of the track and catenary between Évora and Elvas/Fronteira in 2023 – the modernization of the Vendas Novas line and the intervention on the Sines line – the continuation of the implementation of the project between Ermidas do Sado and Sines. The second investment, aimed at the modernization of the Beira Alta Line, between Santa Comba Dão and Guarda, is estimated at 261 million euros. An investment of 133 million euros is planned for the Minho and North lines next year. Finally, the last part of the global investment, 153 million euros, will be allocated to the modernization of lines such as Sintra or Algarve, also considering transversal interventions to improve safety conditions, with the elimination of level crossings and the installation of electronic signaling . .
Public investment up by 36.9%
After all, the State foresees a 36.9% increase in public investment next year compared to 2022 to 8618 million euros, based on a weight of 3.5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The executive stresses that “The Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) strengthens the crucial role of public investment, is anchored in the Portugal 2030 strategy and aims to implement a series of investments that promote the specialization of the Portuguese economy, convergence with the European Union and accelerating the digital and climate transition”.
The structuring investment will also amount to EUR 2262 million. In terms of transport, the extension of the Lisbon, Porto and Mondego metro networks stands out, with an allocation of EUR 653 million. The purchase of rolling stock for public transport companies involves an investment of 228 million euros, including the purchase of 139 trains for CP. The Lisbon Metro will see its fleet grow by 20% and Transtejo will get 10 new ships. For the highway, the 2023 OE will allocate 43 million euros and for housing the allocation is 490 million euros.
CP buys 12 high-speed trains
Next year, CP will also proceed with the tender for the purchase of 12 high-speed trains, with an estimated total investment of 336 million euros. The trains are intended to serve the high-speed line that will connect Porto and Lisbon. The purchase will be made with CP’s equity. The list of targets also includes the award of the tender launched in 2021 for the purchase of 117 trains (62 electric multiple units for urban services and 55 for regional services), budgeted at EUR 829 million and financed by the Environment Fund and European funds. The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, had recently said that the completion of what he called “the largest train acquisition in the entire history of CP” would not be concluded until early February 2023 and not during this year. . , as expected, due to the lack of stock trains on stand. The State Budget for 2023 also adds that next year the contract between CP and Stadler Rail – approved by the government in September 2018 – for the delivery of 22 trainsets for the regional service – 12 hybrid units and 10 electric units – which will cost will be 158.14 million euros.
Rute Simão is a journalist for Dinheiro Vivo
Source: DN
