The Metropolitan Area of Lisbon (AML) yesterday launched a international public tender, worth EUR 1.2 billion, for improve the road public transport service in its 18 municipalities, expected to increase the current supply of buses in a single network by more than 40%, serving about 2.7 million Portuguese.

The initiative, which the socialist mayor and president of the Metropolitan Council, Fernando Medina, called it the "largest competition that the country has already launched from the point of view of road services", establishes that the fleet of buses operating at AML will now belong to the 'Metropolitan Rail', until mid-2021, and is also the objective of ensure the management in the coming years of Soflusa/Transtejo and the Lisbon Metropolitan." What we will have is more than 40% of the bus offer of the that there was today, in a single network. What does that mean? It means that we're going to have new lines, new connections that didn't exist until now. We're going to have in the existing connections plus offer, i.e. more punctuality, less interval between buses. And we will also have times when these buses do not existed and that will now exist at night time, at times of end of week," he explained. For the first time a network is made that is drawn from scratch, where people's needs are taken into account and what are the routes that people need to do. This is the whole of the 18 municipalities of the AML," the mayor added. This international competition will also be a step towards AML start managing all other public transport in your area, including which Soflusa, Transtejo and the Metropolitan lisbon.Governo and local authorities aligned in the model of good managementThe Minister of Environment and Climate Action, João Matos Fernandes, present at the ceremony, stressed that the municipalities are the who are closer to people, remembering precisely that it was by this principle of good management that Carris was delivered to the Lisbon Chamber." It is with expectation that we see the option that will be designed by the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, so that we can very quickly create conditions for Transtejo and Soflusa to be managed by transtejo and Soflusa Metropolitan Lisbon or by the municipalities that, within it, want it management," he stressed, ensuring that the Government will be available to help us new management models that will be implemented." Does it make sense to be the central state running this company? Not and the same say in relation to the Lisbon Metropolitan, recognising that, here, there is a very big investment effort to be made," said the adding that the Executive is available to discuss the future delivery of the management of this means of transport, in any case "with a network much more robust than what you already have today." We're really waiting for your proposal. We really want to that this proposal is an articulated proposal," he stressed. Competition for the two margins of the Tender Tagus, valid for seven years, puts four lots to competition, with a total of 578 lines, with connection to other means of transport, such as the train, subway or boat. The Metropolitan Rail will keep 127 of the existing careers at AML, strengthen 321 and create 130 new lines of road transport. On the north bank are the northwest lot (careers municipal authorities of Amadora, Oeiras and Sintra and intermunicipal liaison to Cascais, Lisbon and exterior of AML) and the Northeast (Mafra, Loures, Odivelas and Vila Franca xira and intercity to Lisbon and abroad AML). On the south bank are the Southwest lot (Almada, Seixal and Sesimbra and inter-municipal connection to Barreiro and Lisbon) and the Southeast (Alcochete, Moita, Montijo, Palmela and Setúbal and intercity liaison to the Barreiro and Lisbon and aml exterior). The competition also defines quality of service levels, such as information and entertainment on board, air conditioning and ventilation, safety, 'USB' and 'wifi' points. It also provides for a technological platform integrating services, to improve information to the public in real time on buses and stops, but also in applications and on mobile phones and on the internet. Buses should be greener, with transport adapted to people with reduced mobility and an average age smaller than the current one. As for the winners, no operator should have more than 50% of all contracted services, to minimize the service from being risk for non-compliance, and it is still determined that all employees of the undertakings that currently carry out the road transport service in this territory have to be integrated by the operator who wins their Lot.