The project aims to reduce traffic congestion and promote sustainable urban mobility
Portimão and Lagoa are due to be linked by a new electric shuttle service, revealed Portimão mayor Álvaro Bila in an interview with Barlavento.
The project, part of the ALGARVE 2030 regional program, aims to reduce traffic congestion and promote sustainable urban mobility.
With a €9.5 million investment, co-financed by European funds at a 60% rate, the initiative is one of 15 pre-selected projects under the Public Transport Decarbonisation Network, led by the municipality of Portimão in partnership with Lagoa.
Álvaro Bila is a staunch supporter of the initiative, having highlighted the need for improved transport options between the two cities.
“A significant portion of the population in areas like Parchal and Ferragudo works in Portimão but lacks viable alternatives to driving, aside from the existing VAMUS bus service,” Bila explains.
“If we want to remove cars from city centres, we must provide people with better mobility solutions.”
Initially, the shuttle service will be launched as a pilot program, with free fares for passengers.
“We are evaluating the best approach, potentially outsourcing the service to an external operator. The plan is to set up a dedicated urban circuit under a two-year concession, with costs shared between the two municipalities,” the Portimão mayor says.
