The Figueira da Foz may connect to Coimbra through the Metrobus transport system. The announcement was made by the president of the Câmara Municipal, Pedro Santana Lopes, after a meeting held on Monday with the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz. The meeting secured the development of the Metrobus connection project between the two cities, which is expected to begin being worked on immediately.
The meeting also analyzed the railway question, with Pedro Santana Lopes stating that the electrification and doubling of the line to ensure a fast connection between the two cities would require a greater financial investment and would take longer. According to the mayor, the Metrobus solution represents only 20% of the investment needed for railway line electrification and can be executed in a significantly shorter timeframe.
The president of the Câmara also highlighted that the project cannot have an execution timeline similar to that of the Metrobus installed on the former Lousã branch line, stating that the process should be coordinated with the high-speed railway line project that will cross the Coimbra region.
The Figueira municipality also revealed that it has an agreement with CP for the transfer of the old workshop pavilions, located at the entrance of the railway station, currently in an advanced state of deterioration. The municipality intends to requalify the area, creating an intermodal space between railway and road public transport, which should also include a commercial area. In March, Pedro Santana Lopes had already warned about the state of deterioration of the space, admitting to proceeding with a coercive demolition process of the building.
