Campolide, Misericórdia and Alcântara are going to put their own vehicles to make the route of the respective Bairro Carriers, which would be assured by Carris.
The Covid-19 pandemic, which has also affected Carris employees, has led to - says the company - à suspend the Carreiras de Bairro this week, between January 10th and 14th. A decision that is also based on the "partial extension of the containment measures decreed by the government, namely compulsory teleworking".
To enable "scrupulous compliance with the scheduled service", with the "less impact" for your customersat a time when it is "predicted increase in positive cases, reflected among Carris employees", the municipal road operator decided to suspend a large part of the Neighborhood CareersCarris is also suspending the reinforcement of streetcar 28E with mini buses and adopting school vacation timetables for the regular passenger transport service. In other words, Carris says it is adjusting supply to expected demand, in order to ensure that the service doesn't fail on schedule - in a context in which the company is also dealing with internal situations of Covid-19 infections and prophylactic isolations due to contact with positive cases.
The Observer writes that, at the beginning of last week, the number of positive Covid-19 cases represented 8% of the company's workforce, not specifying whether these people were drivers or, for example, administrators. The same newspaper states that "the high number of workers with restrictions related to Covid-19 has been a concern within the company, with Carris management itself admitting internally the strong constraints caused by the high number of employees unavailable for work".
As far as the Neighborhood Carriers are concerned, the company will only keep in operation those that have "a higher level of demand"to wit: 26B (Parque das Nações), 29B (Olivais), 34B (Beato), 37B (Penha de França), 40B (Santa Clara), 41B (Santa Clara) and 64B (Campo de Ourique). The remaining Carreiras de Bairro - 10B, 13B, 17B, 19B, 22B, 31B, 32B, 43B, 44B, 46B, 52B, 55B, 58B, 61B, 70B, 73B, 76B, 79B - should return to normal next week.
The Carreiras de Bairro are lines that reinforce local mobility, complementing the network already operated by Carris. These routes create greater proximity to the most important infrastructures in the neighborhoods, such as schools, health centers, markets and other means of public transport. Since 2017, 25 Neighborhood Buses have been implemented in conjunction with the Parish Councils.
Parish councils contest suspension and criticize lack of coordination
This Monday, some parish councils contested the suspension of the Neighborhood Buses announced on Friday by Carris. A São Vicente Parish Council (PS) said wait for the Neighborhood Career 13B "be reactivated as soon as possible"in a post in which he shares a note from the Lisbon City Council. A Ajuda Council (PS) lamented having learned from the media about the suspension of the 76B bus route in its territory. The Alcântara Parish Council (PS) decided, "due to the suspension of the service of the 73B Neighborhood Carrier", reinforce your Little BlueThis service is operated by a 14-seater van between the neighborhoods of Alvito, Alvito Velho, Cascalheira and Quinta do Jacinto. "Whenever it travels to Bairro do Cabrinha, the Azulinho will make the detour in order to minimize the absence of the Carreira de Bairro"says the Alcântara council.
A similar reinforcement decided to make the Misericórdia Parish Council (PS), who lamented the suspension of the Carreira de Bairro 22B and the reinforcement of the E28, of which he says he was aware "through the media and social networks". “At no time was the Board contacted by these entities about the suspension of the service. If the Junta de Freguesia had been involved, it would have been explained that the 22B route serves the Ribeira Nova Health Center and is an important means of transport for the elderly population. It would also have been explained that the reinforcement of the 28E is an important means of transport in an area hit by tourism and that it is used by the students of Liceu Passos Manuel and by the population to go shopping or to their jobs."he claims.
The Junta da Misericórdia says that, as of Tuesday, the 11th, it will itself guarantee the circuit of Carreira de Bairro 22B with a vehicle from its Door-to-Door Service, which "will stop at the stops on that route and try to keep to the same timetable".
Also Santa Maria Maior Council (PS) expressed his displeasure at the suspension of the reinforcement of the 28E and the 10B Carreira de Bairro in his parish. "The Santa Maria Maior Parish Council notes and regrets that once again these new times at Lisbon City Hall are ignoring the Parish Councils, not consulting them or even informing them, let alone trying to find solutions together to mitigate decisions that have a negative impact on the population, with a focus on the most fragile groups: children and the elderly", writes on Facebookwithout putting forward an alternative of their own.
A Campolide Parish Council (PS) reacted the suspension of the Carreiras de Bairro, in particular the 61B, which ran between Bela-Flor and Serafina. "In a week when school starts again, the municipal company Carris believes it is good practice to suspend a route that is essential for so many people and that is the only one that covers a significant part of the parish, such as Bela-Flor"reads a statement. "At no time was the Parish Council informed of this intention, which can only be seen as an attack on the mobility of hundreds of people who are thus deprived of the only public transport in the area where they live."
The Campolide council states that will take place between January 11 and 14, "at own cost"the 61B Carreira de Bairro circuit with a nine-seater car, "the largest available", "following the same timetables as the route cut by Carris".
