The numbers of the Algarve Conjuntura Bulletin for the 4th quarter of 2016 (October, November and December) leave no doubt: there was a 20,8% increase in the number of flights at the International Airport of Faro, compared to the same quarter of the previous year, an increase of 10.1% in passengers using the regional train service and also a “recovery” in traffic volumes on the A22, the section of the A2 in the Algarve and the Ponte Internacional do Guadiana.
Also in the last report released, which concerned July, August and September - the so-called high season - the numbers had been positive.
According to this study by the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR), the Airport of Faro registered a total of 9.613 flights and 1.370.339 passengers (commercial movement).
As for the increase in the number of passengers, this was the eleventh consecutive positive quarterly variation (since the 2nd quarter of 2014).
This quarter, October, November and December, Faro handled a total of 91.954 passengers with the other airports in the national space, a figure that corresponds to 6,7% of the total passenger movement in the quarter. Compared to the same quarter of the previous year, the significant increase of 36,9% in traffic with national airports stands out.
As for the average daily traffic (TMD) on the main road axes, there are also increases compared to the same quarter of the previous year: from 10,6% on the section of the A2 “Almodôvar / SB Messines” (6.799 vehicles/day), from 12,7% on the A22 (8.585 vehicles/day) and 13,6% on the Guadiana International Bridge (5.939 vehicles/day).
For traffic on the A2 and A22, this is the fourteenth consecutive positive quarter-on-quarter variation (since the 3rd quarter of 2013), while for traffic on the Ponte Internacional it is already the tenth consecutive one (since the 3rd quarter of 2014).
The regional rail service (Lagos – Vila Real de Santo António) handled a total of 420.197 passengers, representing an increase of 10,1% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
The Long-haul service (connections of the Alfa and Intercidades services) handled a total of 163.424 passengers, 11,6% higher than the figure for the same quarter of the previous year.
In the case of the regional service, the resumption of positive year-on-year changes is even confirmed (4th consecutive quarter of increases). As for the Long Haul, this is already the fourteenth consecutive quarter of positive year-on-year changes.
In terms of river/sea transport, 78.873 passengers were transported on the Ria Formosa routes – which corresponds to an increase of 18,0% in relation to the previous quarter – and a movement of 24.804 passengers on the Guadiana route (Vila Real de Santo António / Ayamonte).
This corresponds to an increase of 8,8% in relation to the same quarter of the previous year – which, therefore, takes up the series of consecutive quarters of positive year-on-year changes.
As for the average daily traffic on secondary road axes, and considering only the five stations at which it is possible to make comparisons with the previous quarters, there were traffic increases of 0,7% (5.857 vehicles/day) in the São Bartolomeu de Messines/Tunes section of the IC1, 3,2% (13.969) in the section of the EN125 Tavira/Olhão and 7,3% (3.351) in the section of the IC4 Odeceixe/Aljezur.
However, in these data released by CCDR Algarve, there are also decreases: 1,0% (39.083 vehicles/day) in the section of the IC4 SJ Venda/Faro, and 7,7% (2.339) in the section of the ER270 SB Alportel/Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo.
These variations, especially the irregularity that occurs from quarter to quarter, are explained by the CCDR with «the increases seen in tolled axles and, above all, it is judged, with the disturbances caused by interventions/improvements in some connections and by the entry into operation of variants around the main clusters'.
With regard to the movement of passengers in collective road transport, there was above all a 4,4% increase in the movement of inter-regional connections (168.369 passengers).
The movement in international connections (4.718 passengers) increased only 0,7%, and in urban connections (1.179.857 passengers) only 0,1%. In long-distance (regional) connections, 1.433.095 passengers were handled, which corresponds to a decrease of 2,7%.
This is the «fourth consecutive positive quarterly variation in urban careers, while in the remaining scales some irregularity persists, with the alternation of positive and negative variations, thus not being possible to detect a pattern or a trend», concludes the CCDR.
This bulletin can be consulted here
Comments