Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 3rd November 2021

Despite the low season, Faro airport has seen long queues due to the high number of flights

The president of the Algarve Tourism Board asked this Monday for a reinforcement of agents to avoid bottlenecks in border control, showing concern with the transition of competences of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) to other forces.

Last weekend there were long lines of tourists at Faro airport, especially from the UK, a situation that had already occurred in October and which has now worsened due to the large influx of people, not only due to school holidays in that country, but also to the start of international sporting events.

“It is important to ensure an effective transition and provide the security forces with the appropriate means”, defended João Fernandes, noting that there is “a special opportunity” to strengthen the forces that will control the Algarve borders with the training course for inspectors that is currently underway.

Speaking to Lusa, the official considered that the agents who are completing the course “could serve to reinforce the always deficient cadres of the security forces that now assume these competences”, in the Algarve, and that they would not settle in Lisbon, as happened on other occasions.

Despite the low season, Faro airport has registered long queues due to the high number of flights and passengers landing in the Algarve almost simultaneously, the vast majority outside the Schengen area and especially British, subject to passport control and the main outbound tourist market in the Algarve.

Last weekend, the situation worsened again with the return of tourists to the United Kingdom after the end of school holidays, and also due to the influx of people who are expected to participate in the Portugal Masters in golf and the Grand Prix of the Algarve MotoGP events, which take place next weekend.

“It was important that the forces that are now taking on new competencies have the right resources. However, as both the PSP and the GNR are deficient in terms of human resources and, assuming new skills, they naturally have a period of adaptation and learning, it is very important that there is a detailed plan for the transition, but also the reinforcement of resources human beings”, argued João Fernandes.

The extinction of the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) was approved in the Assembly of the Republic on 22 October, and the proposal agreed between the PS and BE determines that the police powers of the SEF pass to the PSP, GNR and Judiciary Police.

According to the proposal, the current attributions in administrative matters regarding foreign citizens are now exercised by a new entity – the Portuguese Agency for Migration and Asylum (APMA) – and by the Institute of Registries and Notaries.

GNR’s #NãoSouDeFerro campaign aims at reversing the increase in motorcycle accidents

As of today, GNR is developing the awareness campaign #NãoSouDeFerro, which aims to reverse the trend of increasing accidents with motorcycles and which will give particular prominence to the Algarve region.

In a statement, the GNR explains that the campaign, which runs until Sunday (7th), will give particular attention to the Algarve region and the Algarve International Autodrome, where the Moto GP Portugal Event will take place, and will alert drivers to the rules safety precautions that must be taken into account while driving.

The intention is to contribute to changing behaviour while driving, with the dissemination of an image accompanied by the title “You can change your motorcycle, life can’t” and advice and the distribution of information leaflets to drivers of two-wheeled motor vehicles.

A video illustrating some of the most frequent dangerous manoeuvres will also be released on digital platforms.

Since motorbike vehicle drivers are a risk group because the consequences of accidents with these vehicles are usually more serious, and a high flow of two-wheel motor vehicles towards the Algarve is expected to accompany the Moto GP, the GNR will develop awareness-raising initiatives in some service areas from north to south of the country and in the vicinity of the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.

From the analysis of road accidents for the year 2021 until September 30, it appears that about 10% of accidents involved two-wheel motor vehicles.

According to the GNR, of the victims registered this year on the roads, “28.9% are drivers or passengers of two-wheeled vehicles and, of the fatal victims to lament, about 32% also correspond to drivers/passengers of two-wheeled vehicles a motor”.

In the awareness actions it will promote, the GNR will mainly advise on prudence and the importance of adopting defensive driving and increasing the safety distance in relation to the vehicle in front to ensure safe and gradual braking and better visibility.

Redoubling attention in circumstances of adverse weather conditions, driving with the lights on and using high visibility individual equipment are other advices from the GNR, which emphasizes the importance of motorcycle riders always wearing helmets and protective equipment.

Faro urban transport workers start first of four days of strike action

The urban road transport workers in the city of Faro are today completing the first of four days of strike to demand wage increases and contractual changes, also promoting a plenary at the company’s premises.

The decision to go on strike, between today and Friday, was taken at a workers’ plenary held on October 13, in which 80% of the 40 workers of the company PXM (Próximo) Transportes Urbanos de Faro spoke in favour of the strike. , according to the Union of Road and Urban Transport Workers of Portugal (STRUP).

Speaking to Lusa, STRUP’s Algarve regional coordinator, Paulo Afonso, explained that the workers are demanding “an increase in the base salary to 750 euros, the revision of the maximum rest time from three to two hours, the replacement of work schedules service and the full integration of the sole agent allowance into the salary”.

The workers also “want to see the entire single agent subsidy integrated in the salary and not just 5% of the 25% of the normal working hour”, explained that union leader, clarifying that at issue is “a subsidy that drivers receive as compensation for the collection of tickets, since the ticket collectors were abolished”.

The stoppage is also intended to require that the maximum period of “unpaid rest be reduced from three to two hours, as well as the replacement of scales with only two hours of maximum rest”.

Paulo Afonso also said that, on the occasion of the first of the four days of PXM’s strike, the union will promote a plenary at the company’s premises, in downtown Faro, in which they hope to be able to count on the participation of workers from other companies of the Barraqueiro Group, to which the company belongs.

In addition to PXM, the companies Translagos, Frota Azul and Eva Transportes are also part of the Barraqueiro SGPS (Managing Company for Social Participations) in the Algarve.