Arrábida Sem Cars guarantees safe access to the beaches
On the 17th of May, the Setúbal City Council approved, in a public meeting, the program that defines the rules for accessing the beaches of the municipality during the bathing season, with priority given to the use of public transport, to guarantee safety and more convenience.
The experience of implementing the Arrábida Sem Carros e em Segurança program in previous years “is manifestly positive and recognized by the various entities with responsibilities in the management of this territory”, since it guarantees the population’s access to the beaches, environmental preservation, safeguarding the security conditions and emergency and relief responses, highlights the council deliberation.
In 2023, a set of measures is again adopted related to the need to prevent and mitigate existing mixed natural and technological risks and to ensure adequate conditions for the movement of emergency and rescue vehicles.
During the bathing season, which runs from 3 June to 17 September, following the decision of the Municipal Civil Protection Commission, Rua Círio da Arrábida, between the Figueirinha tunnel and the beach, is closed to vehicles and pedestrians. de Galapos, due to the risk of a fractured rocky block falling on the slope of the mountain range.
Therefore, it will not be possible to guarantee access to the beaches of Galapos, Galapinhos and Creiro, from Setúbal, via Figueirinha, but only from Azeitão or from Setúbal, via Azeitão. I believe on foot or using soft modes of transport such as scooters and bicycles.
Car traffic restrictions are maintained on the beaches of Albarquel, Creiro and Portinho da Arrábida, due to limited parking in those areas and because they are dead ends.
During the 2023 bathing season, car traffic is prohibited daily, between 07:00 and 20:00, between Creiro and Praia de Galapos and in the access to Praia de Albarquel.
On the section that leads to Portinho da Arrábida, from the access intersection, the traffic ban is in force between 07:00 and 19:00.
Circulation in these sections where there are traffic restrictions is authorized for two-wheeled vehicles, scooters, vehicles with a resident badge, regular public transport, taxis and similar, authorities and emergency vehicles.
There is also the case of residents, traders and concessionaires, who can request access cards by means of an application made available on the municipality's website or via the email address praia@mun-setubal.pt.
The Setúbal City Council is also committed to effective and reliable public transport for trips to the beaches in order to promote “the real safeguard of the natural assets and biodiversity” of the Arrábida Natural Park and contribute to “the reduction of the municipal ecological footprint, with positive impacts on the trajectory of the much-desired 2050 carbon neutrality”.
The entry into force of the metropolitan transport network, in June 2022, and the possibility of using the Navegante pass to access the beaches ensured greater frequency, convenience and quality of the services provided, at more controlled and uniform costs.
The municipality considers that this resource for collective use is “the most effective, efficient and balanced means of transport for people to travel to the beaches of the municipality, with a very positive contribution to the management and sustainability of the ecosystem of the Coastal Coast of Arrábida”.
In 2023, Arrábida Without Cars and in Safety continues its commitment to promoting the use of public passenger transport for trips to the beaches, with connections to Setúbal and Azeitão.
One of the routes that transport passengers to the beaches, 4470 Setúbal (ITS) – Praia do Creiro, connects Setúbal to Praia do Creiro, via Vila Nogueira de Azeitão, due to the impossibility of connecting Figueirinha and Creiro. .
This route departs from Setúbal daily at 08:30 am and 13:00 pm, and from Creiro to Setúbal at 14:15 pm and 19:45 pm.
There is also a complementary variant, at 10 am and 00 pm, which runs the round trip between Brejos de Azeitão and Praia do Creiro.
In the case of line 4471 Praia de Albarquel Circular, the frequency of buses is every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends.
With a timetable between 09:00 am and 20:00 pm, this line has stops at Luísa Todi and José Mourinho avenues and at Albarquel Urban Park.
Route 4474, which connects Praia da Figueirinha to Setúbal, this year has a different starting point, alternating between the Várzea Terminal and the Alegro Shopping Centre.
The return route, in order to allow a better flow at the end of the day, is the same, including stops at the three main terminals, namely Várzea, ITS and Alegro.
With a frequency of every 30 minutes, from 30:08 am to 30:20 pm, the circular route 30 guarantees connections between the Secil car park, where you can park your private car, and Praia da Figueirinha, in a shuttle system, which is free for Passe Navegante users.
The Passe Navegante can be used on all public transport routes to the county's beaches, and it is also possible to purchase on-board tickets and the Zapping top-up service, which consists of a prepaid transport ticket that can be used for any trips on occasional public transport in the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, by loading them onto VIVA cards.
This card, which can be purchased and loaded at points of sale and vending machines with amounts between 5 and 40 euros, has an associated cost of 0,50 euros and is valid for one year from the date of purchase.
Payment for occasional trips can also be made by purchasing a travel ticket on board, which in addition to having a higher cost than Zapping, is valid for just one trip.
The Municipality of Setúbal warns that the bet on the use of public transport is only possible with the discipline of road circulation in individual transport and, in particular, parking on the side of the road.
To reinforce the need to combat abusive parking, the municipality establishes the increase in road signs, namely the prohibition of parking, and formalizes and organizes parking spaces for two-wheeled vehicles and double wheels.
With regard to car parks, the existing bag at Praia da Figueirinha is available, with a capacity for 240 spaces, charged from 1 June to 30 September at a variable cost, depending on the day of the week and the season – low June 1st to 30th and September 1st to 30th and high from July 1st to August 31st.
The Secil Car Park, which has 180 spaces, is associated with the use of route 4476 and cannot be used for other forms of travel.
A computer application will be made available that will allow any user to have prior knowledge, in real time, of the existing available spaces, as well as centralized electronic information panels for parking management at the intersections of Avenida Luisa Todi, Gávea and the entrance to the Secil park.
At Parque do Creiro, managed in collaboration between the municipality and the Association of Baía de Setúbal, occupancy rates have been updated to values of 5 euros, daily, and 3 euros for an afternoon, with entries from 13:00.
The Alegro Shopping Center also provides free parking for users of public transport to the beaches, namely Line 4474.
