The Minister of Infrastructure announced today that the government identified a gap in the oversight of transport systems, following the elevator accident at Glória in Lisbon, and immediately tasked the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT) to address it.
“The report highlights a gap in the area of oversight, something the government had already identified after the tragedy. The government, through its Secretary of State for Mobility, mandated the IMT to initiate a legislative process, which will be ready within a few weeks, to redefine the supervision process for light metros and funiculars because there cannot be a void,” stated Miguel Pinto Luz in Chaves, Vila Real district, before starting the journey on the National Road 2 (EN2).
This gap, caused by a transposed European directive, had persisted for a long time, he noted.
“Unfortunately, it was a tragedy that brought this issue to light, and the government did not wait for this preliminary report; it acted immediately and mandated the IMT to start the legislative process,” he reiterated.
The elevators, like those at Glória and Lavra in Lisbon, as well as Carris trams, are not under IMT supervision, being only under the oversight of the company managing them.
These findings are part of the preliminary report by the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft and Rail Accidents (GPIAAF), on the accident with the Glória elevator on September 3, which resulted in 16 fatalities and approximately two dozen injuries, including both Portuguese and foreigners of various nationalities.
The document, released on Monday, states that the GPIAAF “found that Carris’s trams are in the same situation [without independent supervision], due to the lack of a legal framework for the technical and safety regulation of tram systems operating on non-exclusive tracks.”
However, the official mentioned that people can feel safe using transport systems because there is “a great concern” with infrastructure maintenance in Portugal.
“But we need to have even more, we need to have oversight and investment. We cannot forget that while we can launch major infrastructure projects, those infrastructures must be maintained. Without maintenance, we risk them becoming obsolete and unable to serve our citizens,” he pointed out.
According to Miguel Pinto Luz, the tragedy that occurred with the Glória elevator should not happen again, nor should it have happened in the first place.
The Glória elevator is managed by Carris and connects Restauradores to the São Pedro de Alcântara Garden in Bairro Alto, Lisbon, over a 260-meter route.
