[ad_1]
The start of the school year in schools and universities has increased the pressure on transportation in the main cities of the country. In the early hours of Monday, buses, trains and subways were running full, with people defying the rules of distance.
The return to classes in Porto’s schools and universities has created confusion in public transport. At eight in the morning on Monday, hundreds of people were running through the city, alternating between buses, trains and subways. With schedules to follow and no other options, many dared to challenge the rules of distance in transportation.
The first meter passed and Virgínia Passos moved away from the platform. She didn’t want to go in, despite having to be at the workplace on time. “It is unacceptable,” she shoots into the air, moving away from the passengers who left the subway at Trindade station. Many others entered and the compositions were filled again.
“With hundreds of cases a day and are we going to enter a crowded subway?” Asks Virgínia, who did not enter again in the second subway. “The Government should be ashamed, there is much talk and little is done. This can only be solved with reinforcement ”, he insists, remembering that, due to lack of alternatives, many people end up facing clusters.
María Azevedo, who had already made the trip from Nogueira da Maia to Porto, also avoided getting into a crowded subway.
“I came by bus to Porto and it was a quiet journey. Now, here in the metro, all the sardines are in the basket,” says María, underlining that she did not expect to meet so many people in the transport.
JN, a source from Metro do Porto acknowledged that there is “a gradual increase in demand on all lines and at all times.” Even so, the company guarantees, there are no “cases of capacity exceeding two-thirds of the capacity.”
Metro do Porto, which guaranteed that new vehicles will enter circulation at the beginning of next year, also highlighted the “self-regulation and capacity control” of its clients, who have avoided using the vehicles when they are already full.
Buses full of people
In Campo 24 de Agosto, the interface between buses and the subway, the lines were more organized, but there were no fewer people. From Valbom to Porto, the trip was an adventure for Mariana Freitas, 67.
“The truck was completely full,” Mariana complains, remembering that, without reinforcement, the scenario will repeat itself every day. There I went into a corner to see if I could get away, but it was not easy ”, he guarantees.
An omen also manifested by Alzira Domínguez, who made the trip from Ermesinde to Porto. This week I already noticed that there were more people on public transport ”, says the user. While insisting that a booster is needed, Alzira recalls that for now there are still many parents who hesitate to let their children travel by transport. “When things return to normal, it will be impossible to travel by bus and metro,” he stresses.
But not only in public transport was the rush felt. Many families opted for the safety of their own vehicle and that is why the cars also returned strongly to Invicta. As it had not been seen for months, traffic once again blocked some of the main arteries of the city.
It was just after 8 in the morning and dozens of people were already seen at the Sete Rios station in Lisbon. Newly arrived by train, from Sintra and the south bank, they filled the escalators leading to the metro and onto the street, where they huddled in lines at the bus stops. Many say it is “impossible” to maintain social distance in the morning, but at the end of the day it “gets worse.” In a week back to school, some parents chose to drive their children to school to avoid the confusion of public transportation, but pretending was impossible.
Mafalda Cid, 39, arrived from Pragal to Sete Rios by train before the covid-19 pandemic to bring her children, ages 1 and 2, to the Colégio de São Tomás, but this year is different. “I came by car, now I am afraid to come by public transport,” he confesses. Patrícia Vieira, 37, had never seen so many people. She came from Setúbal, with her three-year-old son, and had no choice but to use the train. “Most of the people on the south shore don’t bring a car,” he says.
Those who travel on the Sintra line share the same opinion. Sílvia Caldeira, 29, who traveled from Cacém by train, already felt an increase in capacity last week. “It’s been going from bad to worse for a week. It’s like that, at the end of the afternoon there are more people. If I could, I would come by car, but I have no alternative, ”she laments. Carmina Fernandes, 65, also came from Cacém, with her two grandchildren. You are very worried.
“The wagons are completely full and it is impossible to keep the distance, they have to use more transport. There are many children who have not yet gone to school, so I think that in October it will get worse, ”she predicts. On the bus, the scene does not improve. “I’m taking the 758 from Carris to Rato, which has also been full,” he says. The public transport user praises the Vimeca buses. “The driver does not let more people enter when he reaches the passenger limit, unlike Carris, the train and the subway, where there is no inspection,” he says.
Subway enche
António Pinto, 32, took his daughter on the first day of classes in elementary school and confesses that he “expected more social distance.” “You can’t keep the distance and this week you can see more people, although some races are not full,” he says.
Gabriel Silva, 31, traveled from Campolide by bus to Sete Ríos. “There were few people, but it will fill the center of the city. The worst thing is the subway, at the end of the day you can’t even keep your distance. This week you can see more people ”, he observes.
[ad_2]
