The petition “For the end of the nighttime blackout in Viana do Castelo,” promoted by the movement “Viana cannot stay in the dark,” has reached more than a thousand signatures and was formally delivered to the Municipality of Viana do Castelo, as announced today.
In a press release sent to newsrooms, the head of the initiative, Ricardo Luís, states that “the signatures were sent by email to the President of the Municipal Chamber, and in-person hand delivery is also planned.”
Ricardo Luís explains that the petition “marks a new stage of the initiative launched to contest the interruption of public lighting during the nighttime period, namely between 3:00 and 5:00.”
The measure is part of the Municipal Plan for Energy Efficiency in force since 2022 and covers all parishes of the municipality.
In the documentation sent to the municipality, the petitioner and head of the initiative requests a meeting with the president of the chamber, “to formally present the petition, outline the concerns expressed by the signatories, and learn the Municipality’s position on the measure.”
The request “also includes the possibility of participating in the meeting of municipal officials with responsibilities in the areas of public lighting and energy management, to allow a more detailed clarification of the measure currently in force.”
Contacted by the Lusa agency, a city hall source confirmed the delivery of the petition on Wednesday, and revealed that “a meeting between the president of the city council and the main petitioner will be scheduled.”
According to the petition’s author, “the absence of public lighting during the early hours increases the perception and the risk of insecurity, hinders the movement of night workers and essential services, compromises road and pedestrian safety, and negatively affects the well-being of the populations.”
“Recognizing the importance of energy efficiency and cost reduction, we deem that alternatives should be evaluated that do not jeopardize public safety. Specifically, we suggest reevaluating investments in non-essential lighting, such as excessive festive lighting (e.g., Christmas season or events), channeling these resources to ensure a continuous basic service such as public lighting,” reads the petition’s text.
For Ricardo Luís, “more than a number, the more than a thousand signatures represent people who decided to express their concern about this issue.”
The head of the initiative adds that “the objective is to promote constructive dialogue with the Municipality, seeking clarifications about the current public lighting policy and the criteria that support the nighttime interruption.”
The initiative “Viana cannot stay in the dark” “intends to continue monitoring the process and to publicly share developments that occur following the delivery of the petition.”
