Faro council has spotted that the roadworks lying half-finished at the east end of town are still covered in weeds, untouched since the announcement by Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, Sérgio Monteiro that the project would be restarted and all would be well.
Faro council has become tired of waiting and now requires concrete information from the Ministry on the resumption of work on the Variant North - connecting the Via do Infante to Faro and São Brás - and indeed, on the section of the EN 125 pothole system that runs through the Faro council area.
"The Algarve, and Faro citizens in particular, are tired of promises. We demand that the government submit its work plan, detailing the cost of each work stage and gives implementation deadlines so we can properly scrutinise the progress of the works" said the council’s council, in a rather huffy statement.
Faro council challenges Sérgio Silva Monteiro, who rather bravely is visiting Faro today, to give them at least a start date otherwise nobody will ever believe the politicians promises again, nor should they have done so in the beginning.
In October 2013, Faro mayor Rogerio Bacalhau met the Secretary of State on the topic of roadworks, and commented at that time, "the Secretary of State will have to understand one thing, that we will keep the pressure on him until the situation is resolved"
In March 2014 an irritated Monteiro moved the roadworks to 'priority project' status with the proviso that the planned electrification of the Linea do Algarve railway system can not also receive funds - it is one or the other.
“If you want Algarve EN125 upgraded this will be a priority of the Government, but the region must be aware that by doing this, there can be no money to invest in the electrification of the railway line across the Algarve.”
Since which Economy Minister Pired de Lima announced the upgrade of the Algarve's railway system as part of a nationwide investment in infrastructure in which the Algarve scored badly as a region in comparison with its more industrialised northern neighbours.
Whether Monteiro has indeed scrapped the EN 125 upgrade, as the Algarve is getting a smooth new railway, remains to be seen but for sure he will be looking at ways to avoid spending money.
Comments
One couldn't make this farce up as nobody outside of the country would believe it!