Metro Mondego. Court of Auditors grants a visa to the concession contract

A decision was issued on 21 August by the Court of Auditors, being “completed the legal and financial framework of the exploitation” of the SMM, known as ‘metrobus’, circulating between Coimbra, Lousã and Miranda do Corvo, told Metro Mondego, in a press release sent to the agency Lusa.

For Metro Mondego, the visa now granted is “an innovative reality”, because it is the first public service contract in Portugal associated with the ‘metrobus’, system of buses articulated to circulate on dedicated route.

The public service contract has a duration of ten years and establishes the annual financial compensation borne by the State, which amounts to a maximum amount of EUR 67.7 million (plus VAT) between 2026 and 2035.

According to the resolution of the Council of Ministers published in March of this year setting annual charges, a compensation of EUR 8.1 million is planned this year and EUR 7.25 million in 2027.

From 2028 until 2035 the value is always similar, with slight oscillations, but of the order of EUR 6.5 million per year.

By 2027, the ‘metrobus’ system is expected to be fully operational.

In September this year, the operation will extend to the Coimbra-B railway station and to the Praça da República.

Only in the first quarter of 2027 should the hospital line be completed, with the missing section between Praça da República and Hospitals of the University of Coimbra and connection to Paediatric.

According to today’s Metro Mondego press release, the public service contract sets out performance indicators that measure compliance with obligations, as well as the operating programme, tariff, financial model and applicable penalty regime.