EU funded study to foster multimodality

The European Union will grant €1.63 million of TEN-T funding to a study assessing the practical steps to implement a new rail grade separation in the Alcântara neighbourhood of Lisbon (Portugal). The study will precede the construction phase of a 6.5 km section of rail track which will allow for an improved rail passenger service, increase the rail traffic capacity of the container terminal of the Port of Lisbon and have an overall positive impact on road traffic in Alcântara. The project will also contribute to the realisation of Priority Project 8, the “Multimodal axis Portugal/Spain-rest of Europe”.

The study, which was presented under the 2010 TEN-T Annual Call, affects a portion of the Portuguese rail network lying on Priority Project 8 “Multimodal axis Portugal/Spain-rest of Europe”. Eventual realisation of the study and its associated works will allow the Port of Lisbon to increase its rail traffic capacity in the container terminal, thus boosting multimodality in this region.

Furthermore, passenger train services will also be improved as trains will be able to reach higher speeds on the 6.5 km section and, even more importantly, continuity between the Cascais and Cintura rail lines will be ensured. Finally, the new rail separation will also relieve congestion on the road network in the area by shifting freight and passengers to rail.

The study is foreseen to be completed by December 2012.

For more information, please consult the project’s page!