Estonia: Tallinn earmarks €86 million for public transport costs, development

NordenBladet – Tallinn will set aside €86 million for the running and development costs of public transport in 2021 which include the purchase of 100 new gas powered buses. By the end of next year, half of the city’s public transport will be carbon dioxide free.

The budget of Tallinn for 2021 sets aside €86 million towards operating costs of the public transport system and €3.7 million euros towards investments in public transport.

Deputy Mayor Andrei Novikov said on Tuesday that in addition to the 100 gas powered buses that were received this year, 100 more buses running on green gas will join the fleet of the city’s public transport company next year. The cost of the buses inclusive of IT equipment is nearly €30 million, and by the end of next year 50 percent of the city’s public transport will be carbon dioxide free.

In addition, some 10 electric buses will start operating the city’s bus lines as part of a pilot project with manufacturers of electric buses, Novikov said.

Frequencies will be added on more than 10 bus lines next year.

Furthermore, the city will continue to equip bus stops with displays showing real-time information about departures, as well as with shelters. The city is planning to replace shelters made of metal sheets and install new shelters at stops which do not have shelters at present.

The city is also planning to set up new traffic lights to improve traffic safety and to transition to LED traffic lights. Money has been earmarked in the budget also for the installation of 157 traffic counters at road intersections.

Parking lots of the Park and Ride system will be equipped with displays and a feature added to the system enabling to see the number of available parking spaces on one’s smartphone.

State-of-the art infrastructure consisting of parking spaces and gas refueling facilities will be completed at the bus depots of the city’s public transport company on Peterburi Road and Kadaka Avenue. In addition, a new terminal station for buses will be completed on Vana-Louna Street.

The investments in public transport will include an expansion of the school bus project and acquisition of new trams.