EUR 7.5 million contract for 29 new buses for Zagreb public transportation inked

A contract on providing HRK 55.8 million (EUR 7.53 million) for a project of procurement of 29 buses for the public transportation in the capital city of Zagreb was signed on Tuesday by Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butkovic, the director of Croatia's the Central Finance and Contracting Agency (SAFU), Tomislav Petric, and the director of Zagreb's provider of public transport services (ZET), Ljuba Zgela.

Under the contract, 85% of the funds will be covered by the EU's Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014 - 2020 programme. The remaining 15% will come from the government budget.

The new buses will be used in 17 bus lines throughout the city.

Minister Butkovic said that his ministry had launched a HRK 314 million scheme intended for the upgrade of public transportation in nine Croatian cities whereby a total of 187 new buses are obtained.

The contract signed today is the second one for Zagreb which will thus be provided by 44 new buses: 17 covered by a contract in 2017 plus these 29 under the latest contract.

SAFU director Petric said at the ceremony that he hoped that the project would also motivate residents of Zagreb to use public transportation in higher numbers, given that only 12% of locals use public transportation.

Mayor Milan Bandic today ruled out any transportation price hikes.

(EUR 1 = HRK 7.4)

(Hina)