In a statement issued by the latter two companies, they stated that the ten-year contract would now be subject to Audit Court approval as the final stage in the approval process.


“This shall thus ensure the integrity, quality and demands of the services provided by Metro do Porto and STCP to the Metropolitan Area of Oporto in strict respect for the public interest, tariff stability and without any above inflation price rises,” the statement concluded.


The tenders adjudicated to Alsa and Transdev were approved by the Metro do Porto and STCP boards of directors on September 15, with a majority of the former’s directors abstaining in the voting that also approved the tender jury’s final report.


This followed an earlier tender, won by a Spanish consortium, TMB/Moventis, which then failed to deliver the banking guarantees required in the meanwhile.


On September 4, State Secretary for Transport, Sérgio Monteiro told journalists that the winning tenders had all improved on the bids accepted in the previous round “with the overall amount exceeding the previous tender by €18 million” with no overall sums otherwise available.