Strikes knock out four in five trains // Push to curb crime in famous Lisbon neighbourhoods
Portuguese news in English on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
Strikes knock out four in five trains
Monday’s CP - Comboios de Portugal strike forced the cancellation of more than 80% of scheduled train journeys, with more disruption expected on Wednesday, Público reports. From midnight to 2pm, 540 of the 669 scheduled trains were cancelled but just enough ran to supply the “minimum service” stipulated by an arbitration court before the strike. CP insisted it was ready to “meet, listen and negotiate with the unions” over their demands for better pay. Clients with pre-purchased tickets for Alfa Pendular, intercity, International, Inter-regional and Regional trains are eligible for a refund.
The European Commission has assigned €813.1 million for the first phase of the high-velocity rail line between Porto and Lisbon, Expresso reports. The funding covers 142 kilometres of rail works and 51 kilometres of new connections and comes from the European Union’s €7 billion package of transport infrastructure investment.
Carris will run the new Graça funicular in Lisbon from January, charging the same €4.10 fee as the other hillside cable cars and raking in an expected €500,000 a year, Público reports. Trips are free for now but after that date anyone without a Navegante pass will have to pay. The news follows extended discussions over whether it would be EMEL or Carris running the transport and whether it would be targeted more towards residents or tourists.
Push to curb crime in famous Lisbon neighbourhoods
The head of the parish council containing some of Lisbon’s most recognisable neighbourhoods has called for urgent action to combat robberies, assaults, public drug use and vandalism in the area, Público reports. Sick of daily complaints from residents in areas such as Mouraria, Alfama, Baixa and Chiado, Junta de Freguesia de Santa Maria Maior president Miguel Coelhoe called for his patch to be classed as a “critical zone” to fight what he described as a growing sense of insecurity. By the end of the year, he wants a police station in Mouraria, video surveillance in certain areas, better light and a ban on drinking on the street after 9pm, among other measures. The Socialist parish head addressed his demands to the PSD-controlled Lisbon City Council, which said safety had been a major focus and would continue to be a priority.
Porto limits tourist vehicles and Sintra protests mass tourism
Porto will limit the numbers of tuk-tuks and tourist coaches in the historic centre, along with double-decker buses, Diário de Notícias reports. The pilot project announced by Mayor Rui Moreira, which will also put an end to the so-called tourist train in 2026, will bring tuk-tuks numbers down from an estimated 100-plus to 40. Moreira said it was incomprehensible that the city and national governments were carrying out major decarbonisation works such as the metro upgrade and electric buses while letting highly polluting vehicles “invade” the city.
In Sintra, some residents are protesting against mass tourism amid concerns the city could turn into a “mere congested theme park”, CNN reports. The QSintra association has put up posters and flyers on verandahs and the windows of shops, restaurants and cafes complaining of a loss of quality of life, constant traffic problems and the risk of losing the character of this “unique place”.
In brief
Doctors call two-day strike set to affect hospitals and health centres. The general strike is set for Tuesday and Wednesday, with protests in Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto, in a push for better pay and conditions. (Público)
Health warnings as temperatures soar above 40C in some areas. Eleven districts are under an orange warning through to Wednesday. (Público)
Portugal’s last less kestrel colony could disappear soon. The colony in Mértola has dropped from 16 couples in 2021 down to just three confirmed to have produced chicks and another whose reproductive success was unclear. (Públic)
New tool to check water temperature at every Portuguese beach. Just put the name of the beach in and you can see an hourly forecast for the next day. Spoiler, it’s still cold. (Público)
Suspects detained for attempted murder and domestic violence released due to justice strike. Industrial action has stopped a handful of suspects being seen in the mandated 48-hour period, sparking their release. (Público)
New shelter opened for those living on the street less than a month. The space opened by Lisbon City Council and Crescer has space for 28 beds in an old council-owned building in Beato. (Público)
On a lighter note
There are two lighter notes today: one for the sport fans and one for the religion/DJ fans. If you don’t fall into one of those categories, I guess you’re out of luck. First up, tennis player Nuno Borges has won his first ATP tour title, knocking off clay court king Rafael Nadal at the Swedish Open, Jornal de Notícias reports. It boosts his ranking to 42 in the world, the highest ever for a Portuguese player.
Next up, longer-term readers will remember Portuguese priest Guilherme Peixoto, who went viral during the Pope’s visit to Portugal. Now he’s playing in some of the world’s best nightclubs, trying to unite people through music, Reuters reports, in English.