The company Estradas de Portugal (EP) reached an agreement with those responsible for the sub-concessions Rotas do Algarve Litoral and Baixo Alentejo for the completion of works on the EN 125, in the Algarve, and on the IP2, IP8 and A26, in the districts of Beja and Évora. Interventions that, at best, can be resumed "in July", as revealed by the EP, although everything still depends on overcoming various administrative procedures.
The company announced this Tuesday, in a press release, that it had reached an agreement with the concessionaires SPER and RAL, "in relation to contractual changes and financial models of the Baixo Alentejo and Algarve Litoral sub-concessions, respectively".
An understanding that took time to reach, but which will guarantee savings of 507 million in the works of EN 125 and around 944 million in Baixo Alentejo. "These savings imply a reduction in payments to be made in 2014 of around 50 million euros", assured the EP.
The reduction in costs implies a reduction in the work initially planned. «With regard to the Algarve Litoral, the agreement now signed assures the requalification of the EN125 between Vila do Bispo and Olhão, as well as the conclusion of the Variants of Faro, Lagos and S. Lourenço/Troto, which will be included in the sub-concession for conservation and maintenance purposes», announced Estradas de Portugal.
«The remaining roads, with a length of about 100 kilometers, will be reinstated in EP's jurisdiction, taking into account the situation that existed prior to the establishment of the sub-concession. The requalification of the EN125 between Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António will also be considered by EP as part of its Proximity Plan”, added the company, in the press release it released yesterday.
Works also restart in Alentejo
In Alentejo, it was assured «the completion of the interventions planned for the A26/IP8 between Sines and Relvas Verdes, for the A26-1/ER261-5, between Sines and Santo André, the construction of the A26 between the IC1 and Santa Margarida do Sado, completing the bridge over the Sado River, with subsequent integration into EP jurisdiction».
«The requalification of the IP2 between São Mansos and Castro Verde is also assured, which will remain in the concession for conservation and maintenance purposes. Both the IC33 between Roncão and Grândola Norte, as the IC1 between Marateca and Grândola Sul, will be reinstated in EP's jurisdiction, which will equate a requalification intervention in the latter through its Proximity Plan», revealed the EP.
Before these works, which have been much demanded by the populations and living forces of both regions, can start again, there are three stages to overcome. The agreement reached yesterday will have to be submitted to the appreciation "of the financing entities, of the Portuguese State and later of the Court of Auditors".
«In both sub-concessions, the necessary measures will be carried out to safeguard the safety of people and goods and to minimize the environmental impacts in the area affected by the works that will not be completed», announced the EP.
Agreement is good, but a date to restart the works «is fundamental»
The reaching of an agreement between EP and the concessionaires is positive for the Algarve, in the view of the president of AMAL – Algarve Intermunicipal Community, but «the fundamental thing is to set a date for the beginning of the works».
“The faster you start, the better. It's great that an agreement has been reached, but I just want to know when the works will start again, in fact», illustrated the also mayor of Tavira to the Sul Informação.
Jorge Botelho considered that the scenario pointed out by EP of the resumption of works in July, when an assessment by the Court of Auditors is at stake, “is completely idealistic”. “We want to know the realistic scenario. Fed up with promises that are not kept are the Algarveans!” he said.
“Just saying that they reached an agreement, without indicating a realistic date for the beginning of the works, in a pre-electoral scenario, does not suit me very well”, added the socialist mayor.
Faro applauds agreement and hopes to have the variant ready in 2015
The announcement of the agreement between EP and the concessionaire for the works on the EN125 leaves the president of the Chamber of Faro «more rested». “We've been fighting for a long time for that to happen and pressing for it. Now, I hope that everything comes to a successful conclusion», Rogério Bacalhau told our newspaper.
For the Farense mayor, this agreement is the «fundamental step for the work of the North Variant to come to an end», since the next steps are «merely administrative». “Without this process, we would never get there. What is now taking place is executive and, sooner or later, it will be concluded», he believes.
The social-democratic mayor believes that the work of the Variant of Faro, one of the main interventions of the Algarve Litoral sub-concession, could be concluded «in 2015». As for EP's perspective that the works may be on the ground in July, Rogério Bacalhau points out that this does not mean that the Variant will restart that month.
“We are talking about different interventions, so some will start before the other. Anyway, we are talking about great news for Faro and for its population, which has been greatly harmed» by the delay in the works, launched in 2009 and which should have ended in 2011.
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