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2024-10-04 at 20h52

Government approves Green Mobility Package: Measures for a more sustainable future

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, and Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, Entroncamento, 4 October 2024 (Photo: Gonçalo Borges/Portal do Governo)

The Government approved today the Green Mobility Package with the aim of transforming passenger and freight mobility in Portugal through 13 innovative measures. This package reflects the country’s commitment to safe, integrated, smart, and sustainable mobility, in line with the decarbonisation and modernisation targets for the transport sector.

The measures are split into two main areas: passengers and freight, with the common aim of fostering sustainability and efficiency.

Passengers

I. Modal transfer for public transportation

Sets up Circula.pt

Circula.pt broadens the social and geographical coverage of the Social + card, covering 2.5 times more citizens. 

The Social + card covered the Metropolitan Areas of Lisbon and Porto, the citizens covered under brackets A and B and the Solidarity Benefit for the Elderly and the Social Insertion Income and retirees, pensioners, the unemployed and households with average monthly income up to 1.2 times the IAS index.

The new Circula.pt includes, in addition to these citizens, those with an incapacity level equal to or greater than 60%, the long-term unemployed, and the remaining Mainland Portugal territory.

Sets up the Green Rail card

The Green Rail Card costs €20 per user for 30 days, but it can also be acquired for 60 and 90 days for 40 and 60 euros, respectively. It offers access to intercity, regional, inter-regional, and urban services in Coimbra, Lisbon, and Porto outside the area covered by the metropolitan inter-modal cards. The card is not valid for the Alfa Pendular and Celta International services, nor on first class in the intercity and inter-regional services. For the intercity services, seats may be booked at no extra cost.

It will enter into force on 21 October 2024.

Extends free youth transport card to non-students

More than 40 million euros will be invested per annum to extend the free youth transport card to all young people up to 23 years of age, regardless of whether they are studying or not, which accounts for more than 241 thousand potential beneficiaries.

Accelerates the development of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (PMUS)

A 3-billion-euro grant will be given to Municipalities, the Intermunicipal Communities, and the Metropolitan Areas of Lisbon and Porto for them to draft their PMUS. In this sense, the "Guidelines to Draft the PMUS" will be published to harmonize the criteria throughout the territory and accelerate their development on a national level.

II. Foster digitalisation and interoperability

Develops Smart Mobility

The ai mis to improve user experience in public transports and foster the interoperability and modernisation of the ticket platforms of the different transport providers.

Strengthens the Fund for Public Transport Service

Ten million euros are invested in this fund to support decarbonisation, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence measures, information and communication to passengers, and promoting green mobility.

III. Incentivises transport decarbonisation

Supports the acquisition of zero-emission vehicles

A 20-million-euro assistance is given for the acquisition of electric vehicles: light passenger vehicles, electric and conventional bicycles, motorbikes and mobility devices, electric vehicle chargers.

The assistance is 4 thousand euros when buying an light passenger electric vehicle up to €38,500 euros, increased to 5 thousand euros if the vehicle is used for private charities (IPSS). The current light passenger vehicle must be written off to benefit from this assistance.

Implements the National Active Mobility Strategy

A support line of 3 million euros was set up to accelerate the construction of bike lines under Portugal Ciclável 2030. The assistance to acquire bicycles is also boosted and systems for parking bicycles by public administration, to the sum of 200 thousand euros in 2024.

Freight

I. Levers competitiveness of rail transportation

Supports freight rail through avoiding external costs

A 9-million-euro assistance is offered per year from 2024 to 2028 to national rail freight providers based on the external costs avoided. The assistance is granted based on the volume of tonnes/km transported and is managed and funded by the Mobility and Transport Institute.

Sets the cap in rising the Infrastructure Use Rate in 2024

II. Incentivises transport decarbonisation and digitalisation

Supports the acquisition of zero-emissions freight vehicles

Assistance is granted to acquire zero-emissions freight vehicles for logistics to the sum of 3,5 million euros: light freight vehicles and electric or conventional cargo bicycles.

The assistance is 6 thousand euros per light freight vehicle to a total of 1.2 million euros accounting to a 33% rise compared to 2023.

A €1 500 grant is also offered per electric bicycle and €1 000 per conventional bicycle to a sum of 300 thousand euros.

Supports the installation of new digital second-generation tachographs in road freight transport

A 2.5-million-euro assistance is set up to acquire second-generation tachographs in road freight transport. It applies to companies and vehicles licensed to operate internationally forced to replace tachographs by 31/12/2024.

III. Supports the development of sustainable urban logistics

Supports local authorities’ empowerment in urban logistics

A 2-million-euro assistance is offered to Municipalities, Intermunicipal Communities, and the Metropolitan Areas of Lisbon and Porto and the Sustainable Urban Logistics Guide is launched to exchange good practices between the Transport Authorities.

Supports urban logistics pilots

This Green Mobility Package represents a significant step towards more efficient and sustainable mobility in Portugal, fostering transport modernisation and decarbonisation for both passengers and freight.