Greece will gradually replace its trolleybus transport with electric buses to reduce costs and improve service, Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kiranakis told the Greek parliament on Friday, the online edition of the Greek newspaper "Kathimerini" reported today, BTA reported.
In response to the MP from the “New Left“ party Nasos Iliopoulos, who stated that there is a lack of strategic planning and scientific research in the field of transport, Kiranakis responded by comparing the costs of one and the other mode of transport.
“For every kilometer the current trolleybus fleet travels, taxpayers pay approximately 5.50 euros. For every kilometer traveled by an electric bus, the Greek state pays approximately 2.50 euros. So we are talking about more than double the price“, said Kiranakis.
He stressed that the trolleybuses will not be completely stopped, explaining that trolleybuses with remaining service life will continue to run on straight routes along some of the boulevards in Athens, “where the cables do not cause so much disturbance“.
“With funds from European programs, for every two new-generation trolleybuses we can buy three electric buses, so the cost to taxpayers is lower“, the minister added.
Kiranakis assured that there will be no job losses, adding that all workers will be taken on by the Athens public bus company, which has vacancies with increased pay.