10 more buses out of a total of 32 new buses acquired under the project “Strengthening the Public Transport System” have been presented on Korzo, for which funds were provided through the Integrated Territorial Investments (ITU) mechanism within the Rijeka Urban Agglomeration.

These 10 new buses use compressed natural gas (CNG) as fuel. The buses are Crossway Low entry Iveco vehicles, urban-suburban type, with a capacity of 76 passengers, which total value amounts to HRK 21,009,375.00 inclusive of VAT.

Raising standards of public urban transport owing to the European project

The EU project “Strengthening the Public Transport System” includes the modernisation of the existing bus fleet with overall 32 new buses, and it includes the introduction of information displays at bus stops, installation of smart traffic lights at intersections and the development of mobile and web applications announcing bus arrivals. The objectives of the project are to improve capacity and increase travel speed, reduce operating costs, improve reliability and traffic safety, reduce emissions and air pollution, increase the number of passengers in public transport compared to personal vehicles and adapt to EU standards and introduce a modern passenger information system.

Funds for the project “Strengthening the Public Transport System” are provided under the Cohesion Fund, Operational Programme “Competitiveness and Cohesion” through the Integrated Territorial Investment Mechanism (ITU mechanism) for the Rijeka Urban Agglomeration. The total value of the project amounts to HRK 81 million, of which the approved EU grant amounts to HRK 54.5 million.

Let us remind you that earlier this year, around mid-February, 7 MAN Lions City G articulated low-floor city buses were presented, with a capacity of 143 passengers which total value amounts to almost HRK 22 million. In March, 10 new Otokar Navigo c diesel minibuses were put into circulation, with a capacity of 47 passengers and 21 seats, and are used on city and county lines that have a lower number of passengers. The total value of 10 diesel minibuses is somewhat over HRK 10 million. Also, among the mentioned 32 vehicles, there are 5 solo suburban buses worth HRK 8,165,625.00 inclusive of VAT that will soon be put into circulation.

Moreover, during the previous term of office, the Rijeka Urban Agglomeration provided EU grants in the amount of more than HRK 560 million for 18 projects through the Integrated Territorial Investment Mechanism (ITU mechanism).

Further introduction of environmentally and cost-effective CNG buses

Mayor Vojko Obersnel said that the company Autrolej and the City of Rijeka had acquired 40 new buses running on environmentally friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) all with the aim of reducing greenhouse gases.

“There are five more buses that will arrive in the next two weeks, and thus we have concluded this project, implemented through the Integrated Territorial Investment mechanism. Last year, we presented 22 buses that were also acquired by EU funds through the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure. We can say that in two years we acquired 54 new buses, which is almost half of all buses that Autotrolej has and thus have significantly increased the standard of public transport for our fellow citizens. The characteristic of these buses is that they show attachment to Rijeka and Autotrolej, so they bear the symbol of Croatian Football Club Rijeka and a bus banner “Together we are Rijeka”, said the mayor, adding that the acquisition of buses would further continue, whereby the fleet of Autotrolej would be completely renewed.

By putting these first 40 buses running on CNG into circulation, the City of Rijeka and the company Autotrolej fulfilled their obligations under the Sustainable Energy Action Plan of the City of Rijeka (SEAP) relating to the transport sector measures for reducing CO2 emissions, i.e. the European Union initiative has been fulfilled, as signed in 2009 by the Covenant of the Mayors, whereby we committed ourselves to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020.

With 10 new CNG buses presented today, Autotrolej has in its fleet 50 vehicles running on compressed natural gas.

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