Cities Collaborating on Railway Projects
The potential joint management of the Cascais railway line is making steady progress, as the line nears completion. This development has been supported by the current "reformist government," according to Nuno Piteira Lopes, the deputy mayor of Cascais.
The agreement for joint management among Cascais, Oeiras, and Lisbon has been the focus, but the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) has yet to publicly state its stance or involvement. The three municipalities have expressed a consensus to manage the line together, but no official position or statement from AML has been reported as of now.
Cascais, Oeiras, and Lisbon are all prepared to manage the line if given the opportunity. The mayor of Cascais aims to manage the concession for the line and the municipality's railway stations. Meanwhile, Oeiras has expressed its willingness as a partnership between the three municipalities. Isaltino Morais, the mayor of Oeiras, has confirmed his willingness to manage the line.
The government program includes the possibility of granting concessions or sub-concessions for the management of railway infrastructure. The concession for the Cascais line is planned to be given to private parties. However, the mayors of both Cascais and Lisbon have urged Carlos Moedas, the mayor of Lisbon, to lead the process of managing the Cascais line.
The redevelopment of the Cascais line is nearing completion, and the "Greater Lisbon Summit" was a recent event to discuss housing, security, and transportation in the area. The summit brought together five mayors (Almada, Lisbon, Loures, Oeiras, and Sintra) and the vice-president of the Cascais municipality.
Basílio Horta, the current president of the AML and mayor of Sintra, has voiced concerns about the suburban nature of the railway in the area, suggesting it should be metropolitan. Despite being elected by the Socialist Party, Basílio Horta has announced he will not run again.
Isaltino Morais, the mayor of Oeiras, has also challenged Carlos Moedas to focus more on the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML). In response, Carlos Moedas has questioned whether the AML should be led by the mayor of Lisbon.
As the joint management of the Cascais railway line continues to progress, further updates and official announcements from AML or the involved municipalities may provide more detail in the near future. Mayor Isaltino Morais of Oeiras has announced he will run again as an independent in October.
The Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) might consider aligning its finance with the joint management of the Cascais railway line, considering the line's potential integration into the broader public-transit transportation network of the region. The agreement for the Cascais line's management, including financing aspects, could draw attention from the industry as it seeks to leverage international best practices in urban transportation management.
