The Ombudsman has communicated concerns to the government about the ongoing lack of action by Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) regarding ambient noise control in transport infrastructure under its responsibility.
“Infraestruturas de Portugal, S.A. has not yet prepared or submitted a significant portion of the strategic noise maps and action plans for the 2021-2026 control cycle, jeopardizing its success,” the statement notes.
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Infrastructures, the Deputy Ombudsman requests clear guidance be given to the IP’s Board of Directors to complete all outstanding strategic noise maps by the end of the first semester of 2026.
The letter also calls for a concrete evaluation and response to each complaint, including acoustic measurements and mitigation measures where necessary.
The Ombudsman recalls that according to the report “Noise Control: Planning, Managing, and Raising Awareness — 2025” recently released by this entity, the company had only completed mapping less than 5% of the road sections (16 out of 339) and 20% of the rail sections (13 out of 65) under its management.
The Ombudsman argues that IP’s inaction “compromises the identification and assessment of problems that cause a significant number of complaints, resulting in indifference to citizens’ fundamental rights, namely health, rest, tranquility, and a healthy environment.”
“Concern was also expressed regarding the company postponing the resolution of excessive noise situations until the approval of planning documents that should already have been sanctioned. This attitude shifts the burden to citizens, leaving them not only unprotected but also without a clear timeline for resolving their legitimate complaints,” the statement emphasizes.
