In order to improve public transport system and to encourage more residents to use it, Kaunas Municipality is considering new types of it, such as high-speed buses or trams that can transport more passengers in separate lanes.
A feasibility study is planned to be prepared within seven months to evaluate such renovations, the purchase of which was announced by the municipality this week.
"In Europe, these options (fast buses or trams - BNS) are probably the most popular. Big cities also have metro lines, but we believe that the city of Kaunas is not so big that it could afford them based on its size and population," Martynas Matusevičius, head of the Transport and Traffic Management Department of the Kaunas municipality, told BNS.
"We see that the most realistic would be either express buses or trams, maybe we will get other offers as well. (…) These are probably the most financially accessible and most value-added (alternatives - BNS)," he added.
In 2019, the Kaunas sustainable mobility plan approved by the municipal council foresees three preliminary lines connecting different parts of the city, which should be used by new types of public transport.
"(In the Feasibility Study - BNS) they will also be assessed as to whether they are suitable. Maybe some other line alternative will be chosen. (…). They would probably best serve the microdistricts where they prevail apartment buildings, according to sustainable mobility data, we can see that the largest number of trips take place from here", said M. Matusevičius.
It is planned that one of the planned lines of the new public transport will connect Šilainius and Šančius, the other - Raudondvaris highway, Vilijampolė, Kaunas clinics and the industrial district near Pramonės avenue, the third - Eigulius, Dainava, industrial and of the station districts and Aleksotas.
During the preparation of the feasibility study, it is also planned to assess the technical possibilities of the considered types of public transport and to interview about 10 people. Kaunas residents about their journeys by public transport and their expectations.
"We see that the need (improvement of public transport - BNS) is great and we decided to make a study that would respond and choose an alternative for more capacious and faster public transport", said M. Matusevičius.
The Kaunas municipality representative did not specify when new vehicles could appear on the city streets and how much their installation would cost.
Author Giedrius Gaidamavičius
