Online petition advocates for electrification and comprehensive modernization of the Western Line

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A new public petition has been launched to the Assembly of the Republic, calling for the full electrification and comprehensive modernization of the Oeste Line to Figueira da Foz. The initiative came from Maria Rodrigues, a Lisbon resident with family in the Oeste region, who says she has felt firsthand "the impact that the lack of a modern rail connection has on the daily lives of those who live and work in the region."

According to the petition's author, "the buses connecting Lisbon to the West region are increasingly overcrowded, while the West Line remains underutilized, with non-electrified sections, a single track, and excessively long travel times." Maria Rodrigues believes an efficient line, with two tracks and frequent trains, would be essential to bring Lisbon closer to the region's municipalities, improve mobility for residents and students, attract tourists, and reduce carbon emissions.

In the text addressed to the Assembly of the Republic, the petition recalls that the Linha do Oeste is "one of the most important railway lines in the country, connecting Lisbon to several cities on the central coast, passing through Mafra, Torres Vedras, Caldas da Rainha, Alcobaça, Leiria, and Figueira da Foz." However, despite its strategic potential, it remains limited by "a limited number of trains and excessively long travel times."

The signatories demand three priority measures: full electrification up to Figueira da Foz, complete modernization with double track along the entire length, and the creation of a modern and competitive line that represents a true alternative to road transport.

Among the advantages highlighted are improved mobility for residents and workers, increased tourist appeal, economic and social development of the central coast, and reduced CO2 emissions. "The modernization of the Linha do Oeste, with electrification and double track, is a structural and urgent investment for the future of mobility in Portugal," the document reads.

The petition can be viewed and signed at peticaopublica.com/pview.aspx?pi=PT126958 .

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