The solution proposed for the electrification of the Algarve Line, on the Tunes-Lagos section, causes “visual intrusion with negative, permanent and very significant impacts on the landscape” on the Meia Praia seafront. This is the position of the Municipality of Lagos in its opinion issued within the scope of the public consultation process for the Environmental Impact Assessment of that project, which ran from 12 May to 24 June.
This opinion, already presented to the Portuguese Environment Agency, was present at the Chamber Meeting for ratification on Wednesday, deserving unanimous approval.
In the debate that preceded the deliberation, the fundamentals of the technical evaluation of this opinion were explained in detail, which were related to 'the introduction of seven meter high catenaries and the prospect of future uneven crossings of the line being made by tall structures even higher, solutions that, in addition to the visual and landscape implications, will harm the excellence of the place, the established territorial strategy and its relevance in the framework of the municipal development strategy».
Thus, explains the Câmara de Lagos in a press release, «while recognizing the advantages that the electrification of the line will bring in terms of future modernization of the railway service, in the cost-benefit analysis of the electrification solution presented, a clear prejudice for the 6 kilometers of the sea front, in contrast to the few added advantages in terms of service quality, namely with regard to travel time on the section in question, the quality of rolling stock, the frequency of trains and the connection to other destinations ».
With this position, the Municipality of Lagos intends to «influence the bodies of the State's Central Administration in order to jointly seek a personalized strategy that takes into account the characteristics, variety of uses and specificities of the territory and, on the other hand, does not condition the ongoing municipal projects, namely: the Ecovia, whose route, in the Meia Praia area, is located in parallel and very close to the railway; the Rehabilitation and Recovery of the Cordão Dunar da Meia Praia, which, among other components, is based on the placement of walkways for ecological protection of the dunes and the connection between the car parks and the sand; and the Passeio Marítimo, foreseen in the Meia Praia Urbanization Plan, which will be strongly conditioned by the impact on the landscape caused by the crossing structures resulting from the project to electrify the line».
The Municipality even defends that «the additional costs of the visual mitigation measures, necessary to reduce this negative impact, should be proportionally allocated to the Landscape Integration Project proposed in the Environmental Impact Study».
It also considers that «the maintenance of the characteristics of the landscape next to the Vale da Lama fish farm must be guaranteed», allowing it to «continue to perform its current functions», as well as «the road access next to the Bairro SAAL 25 de Abril , close to the Meia Praia stop, namely in terms of safety when crossing the line, both pedestrian and road».
Comments