Beja: Government rejects airport in the city and defends “bet” no Montijo.
The Minister of Planning and Infrastructure, Pedro Marques, said Wednesday that the Beja airport “It is not a good solution” as a complementary infrastructure to Lisbon, advocating the construction option in Montijo.
“It is an inadequate alternative (Beja), I would say is not a good solution to complement the airport because it is too far from Lisbon, the traveling time of passengers, then to the main poles, It is excessive compared to other complementary airports that exist in Europe”, said.
“International studies indicate clearly that compared with other airports that have, in terms of transport to the center of the metropolitan area, (distances) above 30 minutes are not competitive to complementary airports”, he added.
Pedro Marques was speaking to journalists at the opening session of the bank of Portugal Air Summit, that decorre no Airfield Ponte de Sor, in Portalegre district until Saturday.
The ruler, who praised the “cluster” aeronautical no Alentejo, said that the Government hopes, “in the next year”, after “finished” environmental and safety studies, proceed with the construction of the work for, “in 2021 or 2022” have the airport operating Montijo.
During his intervention, Pedro Marques considered that the construction of an additional airport in Montijo is a “Behavioral financial situation for the state”.
“To be implemented, as we believe, an equally balanced solution from the point of view of the development of the whole metropolitan area of ​​Lisbon and surrounding areas, including Alentejo”, said.
To him, a “Montijo option” will boost job creation, estimating that can generate the term “20 thousand direct and indirect jobs”.
The Minister of Planning and Infrastructure also praised the investment in Portugal in the aeronautical sector in recent 10 year old, turning the country into a “‘player’ (actor) important” worldwide.
photo credits: NUNO VEIGA / LUSA
