Late April to early May 2019, the first new urban buses

By the end of April and early May 2019, the first new buses will be seen in Thessaloniki, as long as the corresponding tender procedure will not be hindered. The Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks, Christos Spirtzis, said at a conference on "Traffic Thessaloniki and Urban Transport", organized by Voria, the electronic financial newspaper.

Mr Spirtzis announced that a central competition would be held in Athens and Thessaloniki by the Ministry of Transport for the provision of new buses to modern technology. "The consultation on the specifications of the new buses in our two metropolises has been announced and the tender procedure continues with the end of the consultation next month," said the minister.

The contract covers the supply of 750 buses. Of these 350 new buses will reach Thessaloniki and will be: 150 electric buses, 150 gasoline buses and 50 large buses, diesel engines meeting the first needs. "The new buses will provide the city with exceptional experience and frequencies, and we will also have lower operating costs," Spitzis said. He added that OASTH employees should be supplemented by 150 new drivers and 50 artisans to cover their needs.

"These could not be satisfied if OASTH did not save 45 million euros a year," said the minister, adding that the call for tenders for the "OASTH" would not be met Acquisition of 750 new buses would include the supply of spare parts for 15 years and the maintenance of vehicles.

In response to the question posed by Nea Demokratia's Deputy Transport Commander, Kostas Karamanlis, about where the money will be spent to cover the cost of buying new buses, Mr Spirtzis pointed out that " this money had been found in the NSRF "and, he stated" that they are secure "and indicated that" the tender procedure can only be initiated if the financial resources are engaged. "

The Minister also announced the opening of the second phase of the electronic toll auction. "It's something you have not been waiting for, it's something that, when we announce the end of it, will destroy the front and side toll roads in the country, and no one here The competition is entering the second phase and the coming months, "he said.

Mr Spirtzis also said that an innovative strategic plan for transport had been completed by the end of the year and emphasized that it was the first time we had a plan. complete in a 20 year perspective.

In this context, he mentioned the inclusion of KTEL and the suburban railway in the final planning of transport, as well as in the creation of water courses, but also in the improvement transport by train.

He explained that the planning would take into account the preparation of the completion of the baseline of the metro at the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, the delivery of the baseline and the operation of the Kalamaria extension.

Mr Spirtzis also spoke about the image of OASTH until its privatization, stressing: "Unfortunately, when OASTH was depriven, we found 250 buses in service, it had to be 622. We did not found euro in the fleet renewal reserves and we of course discovered that millions of people were rich in various aspects: suppliers, banks, shareholders, badociates. "

Source: RES