The measure was approved last Tuesday by the Lisbon Municipal Assembly and is part of a proposal to change the statutes of the municipal road public transport company (Carris), whose points were voted on separately. One of them was exactly the one that allows Carris to issue traffic tickets.
According to the councilors of Mobility, Miguel Gaspar, and of Finance, João Paulo Saraiva, both elected by the PS, this inspection will enhance “a more efficient exploitation of the concession, namely with regard to the conditions of circulation in the lanes and lanes reserved for the regular public passenger transport”.
In other words, the idea behind this proposal is not to empower the public transport company to fine a driver who goes beyond a continuous risk, speeds or violates any traffic rule, but rather allow Carris to fine the drivers who are improperly circulating in the BUS lane or who are stopped there.
Measure approved but not unanimous
Although the measure was approved, it was not unanimously voted in favor by all deputies. Thus, the municipal deputies of the PEV, PCP, PSD, PPM, and CDS-PP voted against this measure.Subscribe to our newsletter here
The main issues raised by the deputies who voted against the measure they relate to the way in which the inspection powers are to be exercised and the competence (or lack thereof) of Carris to carry out this type of inspection.
the reactions
The reactions of both supporters of the measure and those who voted against it did not wait. PCP deputy Fernando Correia stated that he did not know "how the inspection powers will be exercised", adding that "this is a competence that should not be delegated". The PSD deputy, António Prôa, criticized the delegation of powers and considered it “generic, imprecise and without limits”.
Cláudia Madeira, deputy of the PEV, defended that the inspection should be carried out by the Municipal Police, claiming that the process presents “lack of transparency and rigor”. In response, the councilor for Finance, João Paulo Saraiva clarified that "the matter that can be delegated to municipal companies has to do with parking on public roads and in public spaces" stating that matters such as overtaking or speeding "are not relevant in this discussion".
Despite João Paulo Saraiva's statements, independent deputy Rui Costa's proposal for Carris' supervisory intervention to be limited to “stops and parking on public roads, on roads where public passenger transport vehicles operated by Carris circulate” and “ circulation on lanes reserved for public transport” was refused.
It now remains to be hoped that the Municipal Council, in conjunction with Carris, will clarify the procedure that will be adopted "for the inspection of compliance with the Highway Code by this municipal company", as requested by a recommendation by the Mobility Commission, unanimously approved by the Lisbon Municipal Assembly.