The Regional Secretary for Tourism and Transport revealed today that the Government of the Azores will invest over 103 million Euros next year, thus continuing the "peaceful reform of the sector with the continuous implementation of actions in the three axes that make up the Integrated Transport Plan (PIT)."

Speaking at the Legislative Assembly, Vítor Fraga stressed that in the Infrastructures and Equipment axis, a total of 46 million Euros will be invested in safety as well as in the improvement of comfort conditions and efficiency of infrastructures. These investments will include the following interventions: the expansion of the Casa Port; the partial removal of the hill near the control tower of the Corvo aerodrome; the construction of the new passenger terminal and expansion of the Velas Port on São Jorge; the renewal of Poças Port on the island of Flores; the beginning of the procedures for the construction of the new quay and passenger terminal in São Roque do Pico; the intervention in Pipas Port and the construction of a new cargo terminal in Lajes, Terceira Island; the construction of a new control tower and the renewal and expansion of the terminal at Graciosa aerodrome.

The Regional Secretary also stressed that the Government will continue the process for the construction of two vessels with capacity for 650 passengers and 150 vehicles in order ensure "the inter-island transport of passengers and vehicles."

Next year "will also mark the beginning of a new reality in the air transport sector," thus addressing one of the Government's key priorities for this legislative period - the revision of the model of accessibility to the Region, said Vítor Fraga.

"Following the conclusion of this process, we are about the conclude the revision of Public Service Obligations for the air transport and the inter-island maritime transport of passengers and vehicles, which will enter into force during next year, as already announced in due course," said the government official.

As for the Regulatory Framework axis, the plan provides an estimated investment of 54 million Euros to "optimise the interconnection between air and maritime transport." This measure will boost mobility on all islands and addresses several areas, such as "the regularity and continuity of operations and reliability, with fair and balanced fares that are suited to the quality of the available supply."

For the third axis of the Integrated Transport Plan - Enabling Measures - there is an investment of three million Euros. It will be directed to the "modernisation and reorganisation of the inland transport network and the development of a new ticketing system for public passenger transport," allowing the "full integration of all information provided by the Integrated Transport Management Platform in order to boost the potentialities of the Single Office initiative."

On the other hand, the Regional Secretary ensured that the Government of the Azores will continue "to work to raise the international projection of infrastructures, either through the promotion of marinas or through the integration of Praia da Vitória Port into the new phase of the Coast Project, as a decisive factor for the implementation of an Atlantic HUB."
 
"Although the National Government informed the European Commission that Portugal, including the Azores, did not need more roads," Vítor Fraga assured that, next year, the Government will carry out several interventions in the archipelago to improve the inland logistic network in order to address the most pressing needs regarding the interventions in the road network.

In this regard, the Government plans to carry out the following interventions: the inter-municipality road connection Nordeste- Povoação on São Miguel Island; the second phase of the construction of the Longitudinal Road on Pico; the improvement of the Regional Road between the Airport and Ribeira do Almeida on São Jorge; the redevelopment of the East Road on Corvo; the renewal of the Regional Road in the Ponta Delgada - Ferros Velhos section on Flores; the redevelopment of the outer ring road in Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira; the redevelopment of the Regional Road between Arrebentão and Vigia da Areia on Santa Maria; the renewal of the Regional Road in the Limeira - Porto Afonso section on Graciosa; the improvement of Avenida Príncipe Alberto do Mónaco on Faial.

In this context, the Regional Public Works Charter, to be reviewed by the end of this year, will be "a key tool for the strategic planning of companies," the Regional Secretary said, adding that the investment in the Catalogue of Endogenous Products and materials will increase 7%, namely in the areas of research and development.

As for the energy sector, the Government's priorities are based on the growth of the penetration rate of renewable energy and the improvement of energy efficiency.

In order to accomplish these goals, we will carry on the efforts "to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels," thus contributing to the prevalence of low carbon economy in the archipelago.

The Government will further develop the adopted strategy with the implementation of the Eficiência+ Programme, which falls under the Proenergia Programme, in order to develop strategies that allow a better use of the power generated in each of the nine subsystems.

With the aim of "boosting the competitiveness of companies and ease the household budget," the Regional Secretary announced the further promotion of bi-hourly and tri-hourly tariffs and the Social Tariff, and the creation of the Additional Social Support for Energy Users (ASECE).