Portugal increased its road network by 2.378 kilometers (346%), between 1995 and 2018, while its railway network decreased by 18%, according to a study released today by the environmental non-governmental organization (NGO) Greenpeace.
In the same period – which includes comparable data across Europe – Portugal invested more than three times more in roads than in railways: 23,4 billion euros compared to 7,7 billion.
The NGO also highlights that, despite warnings about climate change and its consequences since 1990, the European countries analyzed (EU, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) maintained the focus of investment on extending the road network (1,5 billion of euros), to the detriment of the train (930 billion on the railways), a difference of 66% between the two options.
Between 1995 and 2018, Portugal showed the third highest growth, in absolute terms, in the length of motorways in Europe, after Spain and France.
With regard to the reduction of the railway network, Portugal had the third largest, after Latvia and Poland.
The NGO highlights that, since 1995, the number of passengers on Portuguese trains has fallen and eight lines (a total of 460 kilometers) have been deactivated, affecting an estimated number of 100 thousand people.
On the positive side, Greenpeace applauds the creation of the new national rail pass that allows, since August 1st, a passenger to travel – for 49 euros – on regional trains throughout the national territory (not applicable to inter-regional and urban trains ).
The environmental organization also insists on the need to invest in connections between Portugal and Spain, namely Lisbon-Madrid, remembering that there is only one direct train between Porto and Vigo.
On the eve of the Council of EU Transport Ministers (on the 22nd and 23rd), Greenpeace calls on governments “to correct their historic inability to encourage trains over private oil-powered transport and to stop closing stations regional railways, reopen decommissioned railway infrastructures and massively transfer funding from road and air transport to railways to ensure reduced greenhouse gas emissions and equal access to sustainable mobility for all.” .
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