The Fertagus Users’ Committee has demanded an independent inspection of the trains following frequent breakdowns reported in recent months, attributed by the operator to signaling issues.
The railway service in question links Roma-Areeiro in Lisbon to Setúbal, with ten stations on the so-called South Bank and four in the capital.
In statements, Aristides Teixeira, a leader of the Fertagus Users’ Committee, remarked that train passengers receive information that the train needs to ‘reset’ only when it is stopped between stations or at a station.
“It is often painful to reach the station. The train moves very slowly and falters to the next station. This is a recurrent issue; hence, we believe it’s a problem with the carriage quality, with malfunctions and obsolete material […]. We demand that an independent entity inspects the Fertagus trains quickly because as September approaches, if this continues, it will be chaos,” he highlighted.
Teixeira also mentioned that Fertagus users would propose establishing a passengers’ ombudsman for all transport services.
“This figure should certainly have the profile of someone who uses public transport regularly and must be able to take pressing initiatives and direct solutions to prevent these situations from collapsing,” he indicated.
The users, he added, are very concerned as breakdowns occur even now, during school vacation periods when many people are on holiday.
In this context, according to the representative, train schedules are often disrespected and, even outside peak hours, people are “squeezed in.”
“This situation must be resolved. We understand that Fertagus is a private company aiming for profit, but profit cannot come at any cost. It cannot involve misleading passengers, blaming stoppages on signaling when in fact, passengers, who are not ignorant, understand there is a breakdown in the rolling stock,” he explained.
The Fertagus Users’ Committee will also attempt to meet with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing this morning to submit their two proposals.
The rail link between Lisbon and the South Bank was inaugurated on July 29, 1999, with the aim of reducing vehicular traffic on the 25 de Abril Bridge.
