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ANGLO-PORTUGUESE CULTURE
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SATUO - Sistema Automático de Transporte Urbano de Oeiras
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Eventually it is intended to link to Taguspark. Quinta da Fonte, Oeiras railway station and Cacilhas (not the same Cacilhas as is located opposite Lisbon, across the Tagus) will also be served, as will the former gunpowder factory at Barcarena. The initial 20M Euros cost has been entirely underwritten by the construction firm Teixeira Duarte, who own the Oeiras Parque development and who also own 49% of the monorail company, with Oeiras Council holding 51%.
Above: The first three stations on the SATUO line, as depicted on publicity literature.
The vehicle can travel at almost 40Km/h. It carries 8 seated and 71 standing and is driverless and made of non-combustible materials. The fare for the initial four-minute journey of 1.15km is €1 single (1.50 return) or 0.63 Euros if a book of 20 tickets is bought, compared with little more in cost for the far longer rail journey from Lisbon to Paço d'Arcos. Nevertheless, SATUO expected to carry 4,000 people a day in its first year from its new Navegantes station, adjacent to Paço de Arcos CP station, to Oeiras Parque via the stop at Tapada do Mocho. The curent terminus is near Oeiras's new Parque dos Poetas (Poets' Park).
The line runs entirely on a purpose-built concrete viaduct and is cable operated and the construction was by Poma-Otis. Entry to the platforms is by automatic doors which only allow access when the vehicle has entered the station. The dwell time in each station is 30 seconds and frequency (2007) was every four minutes. Services run from 0800 till 0030 hours.
The second phase of the project will take the line from the existing terminus at the Estação do Fórum at Oeiras Parque via the Estação Multiusos to the Estação Lagoas. Phase two will add another 1,370 metres to the line.
