The infrastructure minister said Friday in Arruda dos Vinhos that the technical committee that will prepare the strategic environmental assessment for the new Lisbon airport can study any location, including Ota.
“No site is prevented from being examined and assessed by the independent technical committee. Under the decision of the Council of Ministers, the possibility was given to study other locations, if the technical committee deems it necessary,” said Pedro Nuno Santos, speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the requalification works of Bairro João de Deus, in Arruda dos Vinhos, in the Lisbon district.
Pedro Nuno Santos responded after being asked about the location of Ota, in the municipality of Alenquer and the district of Lisbon, which was identified as the best location and the location chosen until 2009 by the then PS government, led by José Sócrates, and currently defended by the municipalities integrating the Intermunicipal Community of the West.
Regarding the defense of the location of the airport infrastructure in Alcochete on behalf of engineers and economists, the official said that both are represented on the technical committee that will conduct the strategic environmental assessment and, in this context, “will participate and have with reasons advice, solid, highly respected and consistent and the opinion of these orders is important for the strategic environmental assessment”.
Asked about the works at Humberto Delgado airport, the Minister of Infrastructure said they are justified “to increase passenger comfort, increase the solidity of movements and reduce delays”.
“The works must be carried out by the concessionaire and the amendments to the concession contract that will allow these works to proceed must be negotiated with the state”he concluded.
On Thursday, the government approved a resolution in the Council of Ministers determining the strategic environmental impact assessment of the new Lisbon airport and has set up the technical committee for this purpose.
This technical committee will study five solutions and may propose even more if it deems so, Infrastructure and Housing Minister Pedro Nuno Santos said at the end of the cabinet meeting on Thursday.
It concerns the solution where Humberto Delgado airport is the main airport and Montijo as a complement, a second where Montijo gradually acquires main status and Humberto Delgado as a complement, a third where Alcochete completely replaces Humberto Delgado airport, a fourth where it airport will be the most important and Santarém the complementary and a fifth in which Santarém will completely replace Humberto Delgado.
Source: DN
