GOVERNMENT INCREASES THE VALUE OF THE SOCIAL MOBILITY SUBSIDY FOR RESIDENTS OF PORTO SANTO

The Regional Government increased the value of the social mobility subsidy for Porto Santo residents.

In the new tables, with effect from 28 January 2023, the maximum value of the social mobility subsidy applicable to residents of Porto Santo is as follows:

For round trip:

– €27.52 for the adult rate or children from 12 years old;

– €13.76 for the child rate from 5 to 11 years old;

per single round trip:

– €13.76 for the adult rate or children from 12 years old;

– €6.88 for the child rate from 5 to 11 years old.

It should be recalled that until now the fixed amount, in the case of residents on the island of Porto Santo, “allowed that, after discounting the subsidy allocated, the round trip of an adult, be equivalent to the highest road fare”. practiced on the island of Madeira for a round trip to Funchal, that is, 10.70 euros”.

Despite this road tariff having remained unchanged in 2023, “the rise in the maritime transport operator’s tariff requires a review of the value of the social mobility subsidy in order to absorb this tariff increase, thus ensuring that this commitment that was in the genesis of the extension of the social mobility subsidy to residents of Porto Santo remains intact”, justifies the Regional Finance Secretariat.

In a note sent today to the media, the Regional Secretariat for Finance recalls that “the creation of this subsidy was one of the strategic objectives of the Regional Government to deal with the seasonality of the island, being awarded, since 2016, to residents in Madeira who travel to the Porto Santo in the low season, that is, between the months of October and June”.

In 2020 and 2021, given the contingencies caused by the covid-19 disease, the Executive decided to apply this subsidy also in the high summer season, encouraging Madeirans to choose their own Region as a holiday destination. At the end of 2021, the Regional Government decided to go further, extending this incentive to residents of Porto Santo.

From Jornal Madeira