Isaltino Morais and Carlos Moedas, the mayors of Oeiras and Lisbon respectively, spoke during the presentation of the electric transport on a dedicated route (BRT) that will connect the two municipalities, requiring a total investment of around 93.5 million euros, and is expected to be operational by 2028.
“Oeiras is available, and Lisbon should even be thankful (…) Lisbon and the Government. Oeiras is willing to participate in Carris, in its capital, for a very simple reason, for the same reason we now want this BRT from Algés to Benfica, to Alcântara. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for the municipality to be involved in the public transport companies that serve its area,” stated Isaltino Morais.
The mayor emphasized that “whether it brings profit or loss,” the municipality is ready to take responsibility, noting that the way to enter the company must be studied.
Isaltino Morais expressed that he does not want to join the company “to control” and, thus, it must be “to the extent and percentage corresponding to how the area is served, or will be served.”
Meanwhile, Carlos Moedas told journalists that such a possibility exists, especially since the Carris headquarters is located in Miraflores, in the Oeiras municipality, he considered.
“Well, that willingness exists, obviously, particularly since we are here in the Oeiras municipality. But we need to stop thinking of mobility as a municipal target and instead as urban and metropolitan mobility, where Lisbon plays a central role. That is, in Lisbon, a city with 546,000 inhabitants, nearly a million people enter and leave every day,” said Carlos Moedas.
The mayor of Lisbon also recalled that Isaltino Morais “has already said several times that the municipality of Lisbon is a central municipality that, obviously, respects all the others as equals, but has this centrality.”
“Carris is not a company to make a profit, but it also does not incur losses. It is a company that, without profit or loss, should serve people,” stated Moedas.
The Lisbon City Council has managed the company since 2017. According to Carris data, in 2024, the company comprised 777 buses, 64 trams, three elevators, and one lift, with 1,823 crew members, including drivers and brake operators, totaling 2,505 employees.
