Regional fact sheets - Municipality of Almada Deliverable D4.2 Agência Municipal de Energia de Almada, AGENEAL Carlos Sousa • Pedro Gomes October 2014 Contract N°: IEE/12/970/S12.670555 Table of Contents 1. Analysis of spatial, socioeconomic and demographic structure (based on Factsheet 1) 3 1.1 Spatial analysis 3 1.1.1 Context description, geography and landscape ................ 3 1.1.2 Mobility attractions recognition .......................................... 7 1.2 Socioeconomic and demographic structure 8 1.2.1 Population analysis ............................................................. 8 1.2.2 Other potential socio-economic indicators ...................... 11 1.2.3 Availability of technology .................................................. 13 2. Analysis of Regional Public Transport systems (based on Factsheet 2) 13 2.1 Description of fixed route rail systems 13 3. Description of Public Transport feeder systems (based on Factsheet 3) 15 3.1 Description of fixed route Bus feeder systems 15 4. Analysis of mobility behaviour of the inhabitants (based on Factsheet 4) 16 5. References 18 Regional analysis report for the Municipality of Almada based on the factsheets 2 1. Analysis of spatial, socioeconomic and demographic structure (based on Factsheet 1) 1.1 Spatial analysis 1.1.1 Context description, geography and landscape Almada is located on the south bank of the Tagus River across from Lisbon (which is the capital of Portugal). Includes two cities (Almada and Costa da Caparica), suburban neighbourhoods and rural areas, Almada is one of the 18 municipalities that compose the Lisbon Metropolitan Region and is itself subdivided in 11 parishes, as seen in Figure 1. Figure 1 - Almada regional context The Municipality of Almada has a climate of Mediterranean characteristics with a strong Atlantic influence. This region has a sub-humid Mediterranean climate with an average annual temperature of around 17 °C. The highest temperatures are recorded in the summer months, usually in July and August, and the lowest in winter, in the months of November, December and January. The annual average rainfall values are around 585 mm, occurring in about 90 days a year. There is also a considerable seasonal variation in the amount of precipitation, which occurs mainly between October and March, with the months of December, January and February the most pluvious. In June occurs the transition to the dry period, with the less rainy months of July and August. As for the wind regime, the predominant direction is Northwest, but also with frequent Southwest, Northeast and North winds that blow almost always weak to moderate. However, Almada Municipality can be considered as a windy area, since there are few days where calms occur, i.e. wind speeds below 1 km/h. In terms of altimetry Almada has two main areas, according to the variations of elevations that occur within the municipality limits: it is, in general, wavy in the north and center, and much more flat on both the coastal plain and in the interior region further south. Its Regional analysis report for the Municipality of Almada based on the factsheets 3 geomorphological characteristics stand out in the landscape, with prominent cliffs whose development follows the river and the Atlantic front of Almada. In terms of slope, the highest classes correspond to the two cliffs located in the north and west of the municipality, while the flatness characterizes the coastal plain and the south of the coastal platform, coinciding with the Aroeira zone in the parish of Charneca da Caparica (Figure 2). Figure 2 - Map of slopes of the territory of Almada Within the Almada municipality territory lays Almada City. With nearly 100.000 inhabitants, Almada City is a modern, young and vibrant urban space. Thus, Almada territory lives the constant pressure of simultaneously making part of an intensively living metropolitan region while playing a major role as a touristic everyday destination. Almada has committed to the principles of sustainable development in many ways. In 1998 launched a local Agenda 21 process which in turn led to the City Council’s ‘Local Strategy for Sustainable and Solidary Development’. Almada has also developed it’s Local Strategy for Climate Change and, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, joined the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign and ratified both the Aalborg Chart, also known as the European Sustainable Cities & Towns Campaign, and the Aalborg commitment. More recently, the municipality has subscribed the Covenant of Mayors and the Mexico City Pact, and it is committed to reduce by 20% its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to the baseline value of 2006. Regional analysis report for the Municipality of Almada based on the factsheets 4 Accordingly, the Almada City Council has set up ambitious policies on transport and mobility, namely through the Local Strategy for Sustainable Mobility and the implementation of its first generation Mobility Plan. This strategy focused on the development of a multimodal transport system, creating greater public transport and soft modes infrastructures and promoting these modes of transportation, aiming at changing positively citizen’s mobility behaviour and reducing car use. Parallel to that, Almada City Council developed efforts to inform and raise awareness amongst the population, with important actions as the European Mobility Week (Almada has won the 2010 EMW Award), the Green Week, participation forums, projects with schools (namely through the Children’s Agenda 21) and EC co-financed projects. Almada’s second generation Mobility Plan (called Strategic Plan for Urban Mobility - PUMA), for the overall Almada municipal area is currently under development and is based on the guidelines for the development of SUMP elaborated by the European Commission. Figure 3 – Examples of natural and urban areas of Almada As a result of these efforts, the mobility system of Almada has a very diverse range of options compared to the transport networks in other municipalities of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. In recent years a major change was undergone with the emergence of new modes of rail transport (train and tram), defining new rules of circulation and parking, enhancement of public space and the increasing integration of soft modes (walking and bicycle). The public transport system in Almada is based on the following main components: Train, bus and ship services (including ferries), for the commuters from and to Lisbon and the southern regions. Bus and tram services for the transport services inside the Almada area. Train and tram operators are summarised below: Fertagus (private train operator) which connects the municipalities of Almada Lisbon, Setúbal, and Palmela (and will be discussed in detail in chapter 2.1); MTS - Metro Transportes do Sul (private) which operates the tram system and serves the municipalities of Almada and Seixal; CP - Comboios de Portugal (public train operator) which ensures national direct connections to Lisbon, Alentejo and Algarve; Regional analysis report for the Municipality of Almada based on the factsheets 5 Transpraia (private), which operates a seasonal tourist train line along the beachfront of Almada. Bus operators that provide the public transport of passengers in Almada are summarized below: TST, Transportes Sul do Tejo (private company), which provides around 170 intra- municipal and non-municipal connections to Lisbon, Setúbal, Sesimbra, Palmela and Setúbal; SulFertagus (private operator), which serves as feeder system to the rail stations of Corroios and Pragal, an is an addition to the rail service operated by Fertagus (will be discussed in detail in chapter 2.1); Carris (public operator), which makes a connection between Almada and Lisbon, across the “25 de Abril” bridge; Rede Expressos (private operator) that ensures national connections to the whole country by coach. River crossing transport is operated by Transtejo (public company), which provides two connections between the municipalities of Almada and Lisbon through the Tejo river: Cacilhas - Cais do Sodré; Trafaria - Porto Brandão - Belém An overview of Almada public transport system is provided in Figure 4. Figure 4 - Diagram of the public transport network of Almada Regional analysis report for the Municipality of Almada based on the factsheets 6 The fact that there are several public and private companies operating in Almada raises issues regarding the integration of different transport modes, especially tram lines and bus services which often operate in competitive rather than cooperative way. This fact diminishes the attractivity of public transport in Almada. Therefore it is important to proceed with the development of more efficient transport networks, adopting an intermodal vision rather than the modal logic, and rationalizing redundancy and competition between modes that generates inefficiencies and operating imbalances. 1.1.2 Mobility attractions recognition Almada local economy is primarily based on Tourism, Services and Public Administration - of the 71.000 employed inhabitants 84% work in the tertiary sector, 15% work in the secondary sector and less than 1% work in the primary sector. The region has important natural resources, several green protected areas with relevant biodiversity, geological sites of recognized importance, significant terrestrial, estuarine and marine ecosystems. Almada's Atlantic Ocean beachfront extends for approximately 13 km and is a popular summertime destination