Government announces 13 mobility measures, including support for the purchase of electric cars
Dedicated to mobility and energy transition, the Prime Minister announced another package of Government measures, highlighting that the new program, entitled “Green Mobility Package”was created to “guarantee greater mobility, greater convenience, greater ability for people to move around our territory”.
Montenegro announced the measures while the extraordinary Council of Ministers was still ongoing, which took place this Friday in Entrocamento, where the ministers traveled by train. Some measures had already been confirmed on Thursday, such as the extension of the free social pass to all young people up to the age of 23regardless of whether they study or not, and the Green Rail Pass for intercity trains.
Regarding the extension of the social pass, the Prime Minister commented that “it is still curious that a socialist Government has left us, with a mobility instrument, as happened with taxation, with the IRS Jovem, a decision that discriminates against young people who study from those who do not study, young people who have a higher qualification level from those who do not.” “We will correct this in the IRS, and, today, in railway transport, because it is fair”, he promised.
The most striking new measures in the “Green Mobility Package” focus on support for the purchase of electric vehiclesboth for citizens and public transport companies. The Government will support the purchase of an electric car with a maximum price of 38,500 euros – and, if the buyer is a Private Social Solidarity Institution, the support increases to 5,000 euros.
In total, the program presented estimates that this support represents an allocation of 20 million euros.
The Prime Minister also announced that the Government will “promote the purchase of emission-free goods vehicles for the logistics sectorwith support of €3.5 million, for electric goods vehicles and electric or conventional cargo bicycles”.
ANTÓNIO PEDRO SANTOS
Some measures presented focus on improving services already available, including support of 3 million euros to “accelerate sustainable urban mobility plans”; an investment of 2.7 million to digitize and modernize ticket purchasing platforms; and also a “fund for the public transport service, worth €10 million”.
In addition to supporting the purchase of electric bicycles, the executive will move forward with a support line of 3 million euros for the construction of cycle paths.
“With all these measures, the Government intends to be more efficient and, being more efficient, encourage greater control of energy consumption”, highlighted Luís Montenegro. And he pointed out that the areas of environment and mobility need “policies, guidelines, paths”, and “this Government has decided and today has done so in two fundamental areas to have a more sustainable country”.
Here is the list of 13 measures linked to “green mobility” that the Government approved this Friday:
- Create Circula.ptexpanding the coverage of the Social Pass +, at a cost of €17 million per year;
- Green rail passwith a price of €20 for every 30 days;
- Free social pass for all young people up to 23 years oldwith an estimated cost of €40 million per year;
- Accelerate sustainable urban mobility planswith support of €3 million;
- Develop smart mobilitywith a budget of €2.7 million for the digitalization and modernization of ticketing platforms;
- Fund for public transport serviceworth €10 million;
- Support acquisition of electric vehicleswith an allocation of €20 million, contributing €4,000 to the purchase of electric cars, through the delivery of a vehicle used for slaughter;
- Implement the national active mobility strategywith a €3 million support line, accelerating the construction of cycle paths;
- Support rail freight transportwith €9 million per year, until 2028;
- Set the limit for increasing the infrastructure usage rate at 2.9% in the merchandise segment;
- Promote the purchase of emission-free goods vehicles for the logistics sector, with support of €3.5 million, for electric goods vehicles and electric or conventional cargo bicycles;
- Support the installation of new digital tachographswith €2.5 million;
- Empower local authorities in sustainable urban logistics, with €2 million.
