The debate in Parliament ran along predictable lines today as sensible proposals to upgrade the Algarve's railway line were voted down by the government.
‘No money’ was the standard response to the Green party and the Left Bloc’s attempts to remedy some of the problems in an attempt to develop a train system for the Algarve that is capable and efficient.
Parliament rejected two draft resolutions on the redevelopment of the ancient railway line, based on the ‘lack of funds’ argument.
One resolution recommended that the government "doubled the track, installed electrification and renewed the whole of the Algarve railway line."
Also asked for was the "greater coordination of regional train schedules with long distance trains which would ensure direct links to those regional trains that run between Vila Real de Santo António and Lagos." This was seen as a good idea as it doesn't cost anything, apart from reprinting train timetables.
Finally the holy grail was voted down, a link to Spain from the end of the Algarve line at Vila Real San Antonio.
The proposals were voted on point by point with number two, the coordination of train schedules, approved, while the rest were rejected by the bloc voting of the PSD and CDS-PP despite votes in favour by PS, PCP, BE and ENP members of parliament.
The Left Bloc believes that investment in the Algarve line is urgent, the state of various sections is very uneven, the condition of some of the stations and platforms is poor, and the mismatch of schedules need to be changed.
Algarve MP Mendes Bota said the line is outdated, but added that the country lacks the money to approve the two draft resolutions, "The doubling of the line is not the greatest need. We need the road between Faro and Olhão completed. As for the railway, the great need is for electrification," said Bota whose comments earlier in the year that the railway station and train toilets were in a poor state earned him a place in the heart of many incontinent travellers.
MP Paulo Sá said that "the Algarve for many years has been waiting for an intervention fund" accusing the government of having always the same answer to proposals for public investment - "No money, they say. There is no money for investments that promote social welfare, but there is a lot of money for the banks and for big business."
