Big cities face traffic congestion, eco-friendly, efficient and rapid transport being a true challenge imposed by mobility and traffic decongestion. Under the circumstances, trams, as electric vehicles, play an extremely important role, meeting the criteria demanded by an environmentally friendly transport. Investments in projects that implement such a system help reviving public transport, while positively impacting on the efforts to reduce traffic congestion.
In terms of capacity, trams overrule the other surface transport modes with more than 100 seats. Persuading passengers to use the tram means easing traffic. If passengers using personal vehicles chose trams instead, traffic inside cities would not be so congested. For example, in Europe, urban congestion costs almost EUR 100 Billion every year or 1% of the EU’s annual GDP. This stresses once more the tram’s efficiency.
Many cities rely on electric transport and develop this eco-friendly means of transport that could, in turn, increase the air quality and the citizens’ quality of living. That is why the authorities invest in projects that would make this vehicle the best option for passengers to reach destination in a fast and comfortable way without “raising” the level of greenhouse gas emissions every day. According to EU statistics, urban mobility generates more than 40% of the total CO2 emissions from road transport, while transports is the area emitting over 70% of polluting emissions. Tram construction or expansion projects, next to the quality of tram transport services could help boost the shift from individual motorized transport to electric public transport. Moreover, financings for the acquisition of new and modern rolling stock, as well as investments in increasing the quality of services are making the tram an attracting means of transport, which, in time, will help the city develop (optimizing competitiveness). Environment protection is also a plus.
For improving tram transport, Paris Surface Transport Operator (RATP) invests EUR 77 Million in buying 25 trams. The contract could amount to EUR 85 Million by adding an order for spare parts and auxiliary instruments.
In order to improve transport efficiency and protect the environment, the authorities in Kiev (Ukraine) announced to place into service the tram line linking the central rail station to the western area of the city in October. “We have invested UAH 400 million (EUR 30 Million) in this project. Moreover, 10 trams will be placed into service, with an additional 5 in operation by the end of the year”, declared Oleksandr Popov, administrative manager at Kiev Municipality. During a press conference, the Ukrainian authorities said that the entire fleet of old trams will be replaced with new vehicles by the 2012 European Football Championship. “Old trams will be replaced by eco-friendly and comfortable vehicle with a modern design”, declared the Capital’s Mayor, Denys Bass.
In regards to the extension of trams, the French company Keolis has been awarded the renewal of the contract on urban transport network management in Tadao, Northern France, for another six years. The agreement stipulates the creation of a vast multimodal network, especially tram lines and under the contract, two tram lines with a total length of 33 km will be placed into service starting 2014. The project is estimated at over EUR 650 Million and the contract is expected to generate a cumulated gross turnover of EUR 300 Million.
The fact that the authorities invest in tram transport projects proves once again its efficiency inside the cities and last but not least its competitiveness which is an economic-growth generator since all urban authorities will always invest in viable and cost-efficient projects.
by Pamela Luică
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