Carris, the operator behind Lisbon's planned 16E tram line, said on Monday it will introduce measures to limit the project's negative effects on the environment and on traffic, as the city's environmental watchdog opened a public hearing on the scheme.
The commitment came during a public information session held by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), part of the public consultation on the project's Environmental Impact Study, which runs until 30 September.
APA is the government body responsible for assessing and licensing the environmental impact of major infrastructure projects in Portugal. The consultation covers the route options proposed for the 16E, a planned tram line linking the Terreiro do Paço, in central Lisbon, to the Parque das Nações district.
Impacts identified in the study
Officials at the session set out the main impacts expected from the project, including the need to transplant trees, the loss of parking spaces around Parque das Nações, increased noise and vibration, dust emissions, and temporary disruption to access routes during construction.
Carris also acknowledged effects on the urban landscape from the installation of tracks, stations and overhead power lines, along with possible knock-on effects for mobility, residents' wellbeing and safety while building work is under way.
The tree removals affect all of the route options under consideration, including sections along Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, Avenida Dom João II and Alameda dos Oceanos. Officials said these impacts, although potentially significant, could be compensated for and reduced in later stages of the project.
Summing up the findings, the presentation stated that all of the alternative routes are environmentally viable and that, once mitigation and compensation measures are applied, the differences between them become minor. APA said its assessment covers only the alternatives put forward in the project itself.
Residents raise concerns
The session was marked by criticism from some residents, who raised concerns about lost parking spaces, noise and vibration in housing areas close to the planned route.
One resident said the project would effectively destroy Parque das Nações, while another questioned why another form of transport was needed for Lisbon's Baixa district.
Against those concerns, officials set out the expected benefits of the 16E once it enters service, including an estimated cut of around 4,800 vehicles a day and a reduction of some 124,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
Carris said the project also offers a chance to upgrade the eastern part of Lisbon, and said it was keeping open the possibility of future links to other parts of the city.
An 11-kilometre route across the city
The 16E was announced in April 2025 and is intended to strengthen the link between the city's easternmost district, Parque Tejo, and central Lisbon through a fast tram running as a surface light rail line. The route covers around 11 kilometres with 17 stops.
According to the project, the future 16E would connect Praça do Comércio to the southern part of Parque das Nações in 15 minutes, and to the central area of Parque das Nações in 22 minutes. It would run on a fully dedicated lane, crossing the city without depending on traffic or facing barriers along the route, with an average operating speed of 25 kilometres per hour and overhead catenary lines along the entire line.
Investment and new trams
Information published on the Participa consultation platform indicates that 28 trams would be used on the line, each with a maximum capacity of 220 passengers. The rolling stock would be similar to vehicles recently bought by Carris from the Spanish manufacturer CAF, described as articulated trams made up of five modules with a total length of 28.5 metres.
The project represents an investment of 160 million euros, with European co-financing. According to a report by the consultancy TIS, the scheme's benefits are valued at 298 million euros once improvements to mobility and positive environmental effects, including the drop in vehicle numbers and carbon dioxide emissions, are taken into account.
What happens next
The public consultation on the Environmental Impact Study runs until 30 September through the Participa portal, where the Non-Technical Summary and the rest of the study's documents are available.
The project's progress will depend on further stages, including the drafting of the Execution Project and the Environmental Conformity Report for the Execution Project, known as RECAPE.
