News and developments from Porto, Portugal's second city.
Porto's Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan goes to a vote on Tuesday on whether to open it to public consultation. Its diagnosis chapter records 38 deaths, 71 serious injuries and 5,435 light ones between 2019 and 2023, and maps where each kind of accident happens.
Pedro Duarte told reporters on Friday that the builder of the second phase has missed its deadlines and has not met its obligations. Metro do Porto, which is the client, has not answered questions about the new date or about money beyond the recovery plan.
Pedro Duarte gave the figure eight weeks after the scheme began. About 50,000 of the cardholders already held an Andante pass, which puts the genuinely new riders below the projection the Camara took to deputies in May with a 20.5 million euro annual cost.
From Tuesday, STCP replies with real-time arrival predictions on WhatsApp, on the same 226 158 158 number as its Linha Azul. It lands in the same week the network switches timetables twice and the summer beach reinforcements end.
A Porto court suspends the contracts from the Bolhão's 14 July auction, Pedro Duarte says his anti-crime plan comes together by year's end, Matosinhos borrows €40 million to build 500 affordable-rent homes, and the metrobus reaches its Recovery Plan deadline on Monday.
Luísa Salgueiro says the council is fronting money that belongs to central government. The loan goes before the executive on Wednesday, funds 500 homes on municipal land including one development reserved for under-35s, and also pays for seven estates totalling 1,173 dwellings left out of the PRR.
The Tribunal Administrativo e Fiscal do Porto has admitted a popular action filed by a traders' association on 30 July, freezing the contracts from the 14 July auction. Mayor Pedro Duarte calls it a normal procedure and says the market's operation is untouched.
