Jornal de Leiria – Leiria and West regions receive almost 870 thousand euros to finance public transport

The Intermunicipal Communities (CIM) of Leiria and Oeste will receive an “extraordinary” reinforcement of almost 870 thousand euros to reinforce the Tariff Reduction Support Program (PART). The measure, which will benefit a further 13 transport entities across the country, aims to finance public passenger transport operators who, in 2023, were still affected by the loss of demand following the pandemic.

A diploma published on Monday determines the transfer to the Environmental Fund of 29,322,609 euros intended for the extraordinary reinforcement of the Tariff Reduction Support Program (PART), to be distributed among 15 transport authorities (two metropolitan areas and 13 intermunicipal communities ), so that they ensure the financing of public transport that was still affected by the loss of demand due to the pandemic.

According to the diploma, the distribution of the funds is based on the calculation of financing needs, carried out by the Institute of Mobility and Transport (IMT), which found “that the effects and severity of the pandemic crisis on the mobility system persisted during the second semester 2023, justifying the allocation of additional funding that allows transport authorities to ensure the financing and operation of public passenger transport services”.

According to the diploma, the CIM of the Leiria Region will receive 343 thousand euros, while the CIM of the West will receive 523 thousand euros.

This additional funding will be supervised and monitored by the Mobility and Transport Authority (AMT), to ensure “that there will be no over-compensation” and so that “the funds can be returned by operators, if this has occurred” , highlights the diploma.

To receive the funds, the transport authorities will have to present “a declaration attesting that the operators who have funds to receive have fulfilled their information obligations with the AMT and mentioning the amounts already paid and owed to each of the operators in their area of ​​intervention ”.

The funds will be transferred to operators “in proportion to the value of the debt and compliance with information obligations”.