Vítor Fraga assures that social pass policies pursued in the Azores "clearly respond to the needs" of Azorean citizens
The Regional Secretary for Tourism and Transport stated today that the social pass policies pursued in the Azores "clearly respond to the needs" of Azorean citizens, stressing that social passes may be used by 90 percent of public transport users and are significantly cheaper than in Madeira or Mainland Portugal.
"The Region has implemented a social pass policy that clearly responds to our actual needs. This is evidenced by the growing adherence to these transport fare and public transport in general," Vítor Fraga said, adding that, currently, 90 percent of public transport users "are eligible for social passes."
Speaking to journalists after being heard by the Committee on Social Affairs, Vítor Fraga considered that the proposal made by BE on this subject "is completely demagogic, irresponsible and groundless."
"These social transport fares are 60 percent cheaper in the Azores compared to Mainland Portugal and 68 percent cheaper than those in force in Madeira, taking into account equal distances," said the government official.
With regard to the implementation of the multi-modal pass, the Regional Secretary for Transport considered that the proposal under consideration at the commission "ignores a document presented at the Regional Legislative Assembly that was even praised by BE: the Integrated Transport Plan."
"In order to move forward with the multi-modal pass, we have to take several steps, one of which being a technological step," the government official stressed, adding that "we must provide our transport companies with the technological conditions for its implementation."
Vítor Fraga assured that "this measure is provided in the Integrated Transport Plan for the Azores, whose implementation is expected to take place throughout the current legislative period."
"The Integrated Transport Plan is not exclusively focused on social mobility; it is targeted at general mobility in the archipelago. This goal will be achieved with the implementation of the measures already planned, which will allow a full evolution to what is already in partial operation: the Single Ticket Office. The latter will improve the mobility capacity of the Azorean population and provide an easy access to all transport means available in the Region," emphasised Vítor Fraga.